Serbia, Russia sign agreement on defense cooperation

BELGRADE Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Rodic and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu signed on Wednesday the agreement on cooperation in the defense sector. They also agreed that the two countries "need to improve their military cooperation as soon as possible." Serbia, Russia sign agreement on defense cooperation After the signing of the agreement in Belgrade today, Rodic said that the document is very important because it will regulate the relations between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Serbia and the Russian Armed Forces after 15 years. Rodic noted that the signing of the agreement is a logical development of cooperation with the Russian Federation and a follow-up to the signing of the declaration on strategic partnership in May which regulates the two countries' strategic political cooperation. Rodic said that the signing of the agreement on Wednesday contributes to the common goal of preservation of peace in the world, and also entails improvement of the operative performance, functionality, mobility and respectability of the Serbian Army. “A modern and up-to-date army is our goal,” Rodic said. He added that the agreement signed on Wednesday constitutes the umbrella document from which other documents on cooperation with the Russian Federation would derive. This is the first time after 14 years that the defense minister of the Russian Federation has come to visit Serbia, and this testifies of our commitment to future cooperation, Rodic said and expressed gratitude to Shoigu for everything he did for Serbia during his mandate as the minister for emergency situations. Shoigu said that the quality of cooperation between Serbia and Russia has improved of late, but he added that there is still room for further enhancement as the quality of bilateral relations dropped drastically in the past two decades. This needs to improve as soon as possible, Shoigu said. He noted that three more documents are being discussed, of which the most important one is the agreement on military-technical cooperation. Shoigu said that his talks with Rodic also covered education of Serbian officers in Russian military schools, joint military exercises and wider cooperation between the two countries' General Staff Headquarters. (Tanjug) Vucic, Shoigu discuss improvement of cooperation Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic conferred with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Belgrade on Wednesday over the continuation of the two countries' cooperation, the need for improvement of economic cooperation and investments in the development of Serbia's economy. The talks covered the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and the results of the recently held local elections in the province, said Serbian Government Office for Cooperation with the Media. Shoigu said that Russia will continue to support the Serbian government's policy and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia. During the talks, Vucic underscored that Serbia respects its Constitution and the parliament's Declaration on military neutrality. They also agreed that cooperation should intensify in the security sector, military-technical cooperation and modernisation of the Serbian Armed Forces. Shoigu notified Vucic about the process of modernization in the Russian Army and the plan for the Russian Federation to introduce 70 percent of most up-to-date technological weapons by 2020. The talks also covered closer cooperation between the two countries on the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade and the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. Tanjug

Serbia, Russia sign agreement on defense cooperation

After the signing of the agreement in Belgrade today, Rodić said that the document is very important because it will regulate the relations between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Serbia and the Russian Armed Forces after 15 years.

Rodić noted that the signing of the agreement is a logical development of cooperation with the Russian Federation and a follow-up to the signing of the declaration on strategic partnership in May which regulates the two countries' strategic political cooperation.

Rodić said that the signing of the agreement on Wednesday contributes to the common goal of preservation of peace in the world, and also entails improvement of the operative performance, functionality, mobility and respectability of the Serbian Army.

“A modern and up-to-date army is our goal,” Rodić said.

He added that the agreement signed on Wednesday constitutes the umbrella document from which other documents on cooperation with the Russian Federation would derive.

This is the first time after 14 years that the defense minister of the Russian Federation has come to visit Serbia, and this testifies of our commitment to future cooperation, Rodić said and expressed gratitude to Shoigu for everything he did for Serbia during his mandate as the minister for emergency situations.

Shoigu said that the quality of cooperation between Serbia and Russia has improved of late, but he added that there is still room for further enhancement as the quality of bilateral relations dropped drastically in the past two decades.

This needs to improve as soon as possible, Shoigu said.

He noted that three more documents are being discussed, of which the most important one is the agreement on military-technical cooperation.

Shoigu said that his talks with Rodić also covered education of Serbian officers in Russian military schools, joint military exercises and wider cooperation between the two countries' General Staff Headquarters.

Vučić, Shoigu discuss improvement of cooperation

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić conferred with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Belgrade on Wednesday over the continuation of the two countries' cooperation, the need for improvement of economic cooperation and investments in the development of Serbia's economy.

The talks covered the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and the results of the recently held local elections in the province, said Serbian Government Office for Cooperation with the Media.

Shoigu said that Russia will continue to support the Serbian government's policy and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia.

During the talks, Vučić underscored that Serbia respects its Constitution and the parliament's Declaration on military neutrality.

They also agreed that cooperation should intensify in the security sector, military-technical cooperation and modernisation of the Serbian Armed Forces.

Shoigu notified Vučić about the process of modernization in the Russian Army and the plan for the Russian Federation to introduce 70 percent of most up-to-date technological weapons by 2020.

The talks also covered closer cooperation between the two countries on the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade and the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I.