Gasic, Fico discuss strengthening of Serbia-Slovakia cooperation

BRATISLAVA - Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic, who is on an official visit to Slovakia, met with the country's PM Robert Fico in Bratislava on Friday.

"The officials highlighted that Serbia and Slovakia enjoy strong and friendly relations based on mutual respect and understanding, and expressed their readiness to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all areas of common interest," the Serbian Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The meeting was also attended by Slovak Deputy PM and Defence Minister Robert Kalinak.

Gasic noted that the close ties between Fico and President of Serbia and Serbian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Aleksandar Vucic lent "an additional impetus to further development of cooperation between the two countries."

"He said that Serbia is interested in further strengthening defence cooperation with Slovakia, to the mutual benefit of both sides," the statement said.

Gasic noted that Serbia was "committed to military neutrality, while remaining determined to continue developing and strengthening its relations with other countries and military-political alliances, in line with its national interests and with the aim of strengthening global, regional, and national security."

Gasic thanked Slovakia for the "strong support it provides to Serbia on its European integration path, and particularly for its support for Serbia’s territorial integrity, given that, domestically, the ongoing attempts to secede the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija remain the main security concern," the MoD said.

"He highlighted that, under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and the Military Technical Agreement, the issue of the security of all citizens in Kosovo-Metohija, regardless of their nationality or religion, falls exclusively under the mandate of KFOR, and added that Serbia highly values Slovakia’s contribution to this mission," it also said.