Gasic, US's Baker discuss strengthening of military cooperation

BELGRADE - Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for European and NATO Policy David Baker in Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss strengthening of bilateral military cooperation.

Gasic noted that the issue of Kosovo-Metohija must be addressed solely on the basis of UNSCR 1244, under which KFOR is the only legal armed force in the autonomous province and Kosovo-Metohija an inalienable part of Serbia, the Serbian MoD said in a statement.

Gasic said Serbia was committed to initiating strategic dialogue with the US and that his ministry intended to back that initiative within the scope of its competencies.

A decision by the Serbian government to exempt certain exercises with the US Armed Forces from a moratorium on joint exercises with foreign partners reflects the significance military cooperation with the US has for the Serbian Armed Forces, Gasic said, thanking the US for its support in organising the Platinum Wolf 25 exercise, held last month.

"He emphasised that the cooperation the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces maintain with the Ohio National Guard within the State Partnership Programme represents one of the key pillars of successful bilateral military cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Gasic also stated that Serbia remains committed to participating in the peacekeeping mission in the Sinai Peninsula as part of the US contingent," the statement said.

The meeting also addressed Serbia-US cooperation in military technology and military-economic cooperation.

Baker said the US highly valued its partnership with Serbia and the country's commitment to dialogue and cooperation and that advancement of military cooperation in areas of mutual interest would be continued.