"U.S. not pressuring Serbia to join NATO"

Serbian Army (VS) CoGS Lt.-Gen. Miloje Miletic says there is no pressure from the U.S. to change Serbia's view on NATO and join that organization. Miletic described his recent visit to the U.S. as very positive. "U.S. not pressuring Serbia to join NATO" Miletic told B92 TV on Monday evening that the American officials he met with are aware that the Serbian Parliament has adopted a resolution on military neutrality and that the country has opted to cooperate with NATO through the Partnership for Peace program. The Serbian Army chief stated that his Hungarian counterpart was also there during the visit, and that the three sides discussed the possibilities of trilateral cooperation, which would involve improving military capabilities. According to Miletic, they agreed that the cooperation would include crisis response planning, air force and peace operations, as well as the professional development of officers. Speaking about Kosovo, he said that the province remains the greatest security risk for Serbia and in the region. "The problem does not require a military engagement, but the situation is a cause for concern which requires a solution," said Miletic. Instability in Kosovo can be transferred to the region, especially southern Serbia, northern Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro, he said. Asked whether he was satisfied with cooperation with KFOR, Miletic said he was, although it abandoned the framework of neutrality through some of its decisions regarding implementation of Ahtisaari's plan and its decision to take part in forming the Kosovo Security Forces. "This is one of the reasons why the cooperation between the Serbian Army and KFOR was somewhat reduced, to a technical level," he said. Lt.-Gen. Miloje Miletic (Beta, file)

"U.S. not pressuring Serbia to join NATO"

Miletić told B92 TV on Monday evening that the American officials he met with are aware that the Serbian Parliament has adopted a resolution on military neutrality and that the country has opted to cooperate with NATO through the Partnership for Peace program.

The Serbian Army chief stated that his Hungarian counterpart was also there during the visit, and that the three sides discussed the possibilities of trilateral cooperation, which would involve improving military capabilities.

According to Miletić, they agreed that the cooperation would include crisis response planning, air force and peace operations, as well as the professional development of officers.

Speaking about Kosovo, he said that the province remains the greatest security risk for Serbia and in the region.

"The problem does not require a military engagement, but the situation is a cause for concern which requires a solution," said Miletić.

Instability in Kosovo can be transferred to the region, especially southern Serbia, northern Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro, he said.

Asked whether he was satisfied with cooperation with KFOR, Miletić said he was, although it abandoned the framework of neutrality through some of its decisions regarding implementation of Ahtisaari's plan and its decision to take part in forming the Kosovo Security Forces.

"This is one of the reasons why the cooperation between the Serbian Army and KFOR was somewhat reduced, to a technical level," he said.