Brazil's defense minister on cooperation, Kosovo

Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim, who is due to arrive here on Monday, says that his country looks to strengthen ties with Serbia. "Brazil has made efforts to expand its participation at the international scene by engaging as many countries as possible in the discussions and decisions on the matters that concern the entire international community, and the strengthening of ties between Brazil and Serbia in the field of defense fits into that context," Jobim has stated. Brazil's defense minister on cooperation, Kosovo He told Tanjug ahead of his visit to Belgrade on Monday that Brazilian representatives are trying to open the door to new opportunities that will help define the path and set the grounds for a constructive cooperation between the two countries, both at the bilateral and multi-lateral level. Jobim is the second Brazilian minister to visit Serbia, after Foreign Minister Celso Amorim's visit in June. The defense minister expects to exchange information regarding health-care and military education during his stay in Serbia, which, as he put it, is the first step in finding ways to improve cooperation. He said he was confident that the visits and training courses in those areas will make it possible for the professionals of the two armies to get a better insight into each others' Armed Forces. Brazil, whose defense industry is renowned in the world, is establishing a new national defense strategy, which calls for a major strengthening of the Brazilian Armed Forces, the industrial base and defense technology, Jobim noted. This is a huge task, which offers a wide range of opportunities for partnership, said Jobim, adding he believed Serbia was interested in projects that could be mutually beneficial in terms of technology exchange, and lessening of risks and expenses in the production of military equipment. Commenting on the two countries' cooperation in peacekeeping missions, Jobim remarked that Brazil and Serbia had already given their contribution to the peacekeeping forces, engaged as part of MINUSTAH (the UN forces in Haiti), UNFICYP (the UN mission in Cyprus), UNMIL (the UN mission in Liberia) and UNOCI (the UN mission in Ivory Coast). "It shows the two countries are capable of taking part in missions around the world," he explained. According to Jobim, there is no doubt Brazil and Serbia will prove successful if they face together the challenges the UN may encounter in the future. Brazil, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council until the end of 2011, has not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and it has backed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). "Now that the Serbia-EU Resolution on the ICJ advisory opinion regarding the legality of Kosovo's independence declaration has been adopted at the UN General Assembly, Brazil believes that both parties need to cooperate with each other towards a just solution for Kosovo's status," Jobim stated. "Since the International Court of Justice failed to resolve the issue in its advisory opinion, the Brazilian government believes that the solution can only be achieved through dialogue," he concluded.

Brazil's defense minister on cooperation, Kosovo

He told Tanjug ahead of his visit to Belgrade on Monday that Brazilian representatives are trying to open the door to new opportunities that will help define the path and set the grounds for a constructive cooperation between the two countries, both at the bilateral and multi-lateral level.

Jobim is the second Brazilian minister to visit Serbia, after Foreign Minister Celso Amorim's visit in June.

The defense minister expects to exchange information regarding health-care and military education during his stay in Serbia, which, as he put it, is the first step in finding ways to improve cooperation.

He said he was confident that the visits and training courses in those areas will make it possible for the professionals of the two armies to get a better insight into each others' Armed Forces.

Brazil, whose defense industry is renowned in the world, is establishing a new national defense strategy, which calls for a major strengthening of the Brazilian Armed Forces, the industrial base and defense technology, Jobim noted.

This is a huge task, which offers a wide range of opportunities for partnership, said Jobim, adding he believed Serbia was interested in projects that could be mutually beneficial in terms of technology exchange, and lessening of risks and expenses in the production of military equipment.

Commenting on the two countries' cooperation in peacekeeping missions, Jobim remarked that Brazil and Serbia had already given their contribution to the peacekeeping forces, engaged as part of MINUSTAH (the UN forces in Haiti), UNFICYP (the UN mission in Cyprus), UNMIL (the UN mission in Liberia) and UNOCI (the UN mission in Ivory Coast).

"It shows the two countries are capable of taking part in missions around the world," he explained.

According to Jobim, there is no doubt Brazil and Serbia will prove successful if they face together the challenges the UN may encounter in the future.

Brazil, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council until the end of 2011, has not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and it has backed the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"Now that the Serbia-EU Resolution on the ICJ advisory opinion regarding the legality of Kosovo's independence declaration has been adopted at the UN General Assembly, Brazil believes that both parties need to cooperate with each other towards a just solution for Kosovo's status," Jobim stated.

"Since the International Court of Justice failed to resolve the issue in its advisory opinion, the Brazilian government believes that the solution can only be achieved through dialogue," he concluded.