Vucevic, Nyonda discuss potential defence cooperation

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic met on Tuesday with Yolande Nyonda, Minister Delegate at the Gabonese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss opportunities to establish defence cooperation that would also contribute to advancement of overall Serbia-Gabon relations.

Vucevic said 2023 marked 50 years since the establishment of Serbia-Gabon diplomatic ties and that Serbia wanted to develop relations and cooperation in all fields of joint interest.

He noted that Serbia was advocating preservation of territorial integrity and sovereignty, consistent respect of international law, maintenance of peace and stability, as well as development of relations with other states based on equality and mutual respect.

Vucevic thanked Gabon for de-recognising the so-called Kosovo, as well as for its support to Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Nyonda agreed there was room to establish cooperation in fields of mutual interest and that an agreement on defence cooperation needed to be signed as the first step in that direction.

The parties also defined the chief fields of cooperation that would be developed in mutual interest after the signing of the agreement.