Minister: Conference has military significance

Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac says the Strategic Military Partner Conference in Belgrade has considerable military, but not political significance. Sutanovac said that, in the conditions of contemporary challenges, risks and threats, it is necessary to cooperate in order to suppress them Minister: Conference has military significance "Isolation from the cooperation process will not lead us to the isolation of the problem," he said, adding that the Serbian Defense Ministry has achieved a high level of cooperation with all friendly militaries of the world. Sutanovac stressed that, while making a decision to host the gathering, the Serbian Defense Ministry was aware of the emotions that NATO provokes in Serbia. "Fully aware of the emotions that NATO stirs up in Serbia, we took responsibility for organizing the gathering, as we deeply believe it was of general interest and good for the future," he said. According to him, after this conference, Serbia will be just as close to the NATO as Brazil, Japan, Kuwait, Finland or Austria. "The conference has an extremely important military, not political character," Sutanovac stressed, adding that the goal of the meeting is to show that Serbia is a dependable partner that can be relied on not only by NATO, but also by other countries attending the conference. Sutanovac said that Serbia will continue strengthening its defense forces and raising international reputation through its presence in peacekeeping missions. He underscored that two recently signed agreements with the EU will establish the legal framework for Serbia's participation in the EU peacekeeping operations. "In this way, we will confirm our commitment to Serbia's European perspective and the universal system of values fostered in the modern world," he said. The aim of the Strategic Military Partner Conference is to exchange experience and opinions on major strategic issues of common interest. The conference is attended by representatives of member states of NATO, Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, as well as high EU and NATO officials. The gathering, bringing together NATO and its partner countries, was opened today by NATO Commander of Allied Command Transformation Stephane Abrial. Dragan Sutanovac and Miloje Miletic, chief of the VS general staff, were present. Representatives of some 60 countries are taking part in the event that started at the Hyatt Hotel in Belgrade. Ahead of the official start of the conference, participants attended a reception at the Guard House in Topcider. The conference will last through June 15. It is organized by NATO's Allied Command Transformation, and gathered members of this western military alliance, its Partnership for Peace program, the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Initiative. (FoNet) Security culture Serbia is recognized as a partner country that shares a common security culture of the contemporary world Stephane Abrial has been quoted as saying ahead of the conference. Abrial met with Dragan Sutanovac in Belgrade on Monday. Abrial praised the Serbian Defense Ministry and the army (VS) for a successful organization and extraordinary cooperation in the preparation of the Strategic Military Partner Conference, co-organized with the Allied Command Transformation, the Defense Ministry said in a website release. Sutanovac informed his guest about the results achieved in the defense system reforms that have been key conditions to put Serbia among countries with the capacity to contribute to international peace and security. Trust is also being earned by such conferences, and credibility gained by readiness to reform a country's defense system in a way that it can respond to national, regional and global security challenges, Sutanovac said.

Minister: Conference has military significance

"Isolation from the cooperation process will not lead us to the isolation of the problem," he said, adding that the Serbian Defense Ministry has achieved a high level of cooperation with all friendly militaries of the world.

Šutanovac stressed that, while making a decision to host the gathering, the Serbian Defense Ministry was aware of the emotions that NATO provokes in Serbia.

"Fully aware of the emotions that NATO stirs up in Serbia, we took responsibility for organizing the gathering, as we deeply believe it was of general interest and good for the future," he said.

According to him, after this conference, Serbia will be just as close to the NATO as Brazil, Japan, Kuwait, Finland or Austria.

"The conference has an extremely important military, not political character," Šutanovac stressed, adding that the goal of the meeting is to show that Serbia is a dependable partner that can be relied on not only by NATO, but also by other countries attending the conference.

Šutanovac said that Serbia will continue strengthening its defense forces and raising international reputation through its presence in peacekeeping missions.

He underscored that two recently signed agreements with the EU will establish the legal framework for Serbia's participation in the EU peacekeeping operations.

"In this way, we will confirm our commitment to Serbia's European perspective and the universal system of values fostered in the modern world," he said.

The aim of the Strategic Military Partner Conference is to exchange experience and opinions on major strategic issues of common interest. The conference is attended by representatives of member states of NATO, Partnership for Peace, Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul Cooperation Initiative, as well as high EU and NATO officials.

The gathering, bringing together NATO and its partner countries, was opened today by NATO Commander of Allied Command Transformation Stephane Abrial.

Dragan Šutanovac and Miloje Miletić, chief of the VS general staff, were present.

Representatives of some 60 countries are taking part in the event that started at the Hyatt Hotel in Belgrade.

Ahead of the official start of the conference, participants attended a reception at the Guard House in Topčider.

The conference will last through June 15.

It is organized by NATO's Allied Command Transformation, and gathered members of this western military alliance, its Partnership for Peace program, the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Initiative.

Security culture

Serbia is recognized as a partner country that shares a common security culture of the contemporary world Stephane Abrial has been quoted as saying ahead of the conference.

Abrial met with Dragan Šutanovac in Belgrade on Monday.

Abrial praised the Serbian Defense Ministry and the army (VS) for a successful organization and extraordinary cooperation in the preparation of the Strategic Military Partner Conference, co-organized with the Allied Command Transformation, the Defense Ministry said in a website release.

Šutanovac informed his guest about the results achieved in the defense system reforms that have been key conditions to put Serbia among countries with the capacity to contribute to international peace and security.

Trust is also being earned by such conferences, and credibility gained by readiness to reform a country's defense system in a way that it can respond to national, regional and global security challenges, Šutanovac said.