Vucic: All important issues discussed with Rutte, successful day for Serbia

BELGRADE - Speaking to reporters after a Brussels meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday evening, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said they had discussed all important issues, cooperation, the situation in Kosovo-Metohija and relations between the Serbian Armed Forces and KFOR, as well as the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"It was a successful day in Brussels for Serbia," Vucic noted.

"They showed great respect for Serbia and I am grateful to them for that, this evening's meeting and dinner lasted for nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes. We first had a tete-a-tete meeting and then a meeting with delegations," Vucic said.

He noted that they had also discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and all important and pressing issues with a view to preserving peace and stability in the region.

"That is crucial for us. We discussed everything, of course - the geopolitical situation, and I believe it was useful for Serbia," Vucic said.

He noted that, by signing a military agreement with the provisional institutions in Pristina, Croatia and Albania had started an arms race in the region.

"That is difficult for Serbia, but we will succeed in defending our country," he said.

He said he had raised the issue at the meeting with Rutte.

"It is a violation of the so-called subregional arms control agreement from 1996, but we have seen from reactions in Croatia and some other parts of the region that they do not really care about that. I am almost convinced NATO was not even informed of this and that they did not even tell them which agreements were violated," Vucic said.