NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic
Nov 21,
2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that he had discussed the
possibility of holding joint military exercises with Serbian President
Aleksandar Vucic.
"We discussed the possibility of resuming joint military exercises," he said at a press conference during his visit to Serbia.
Stoltenberg recalled that NATO and Serbia had previously held joint
military exercises. "We would welcome the possibility of resuming these
kind of exercises in the future," he added. According to the NATO chief,
such exercises would not undermine Belgrade's neutrality.
Stoltenberg did not specify when exactly the NATO-Serbia exercises are
planned.
In turn, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that the country's
government will consider the possibility and make a decision on the matter.
"I, as the supreme commander of the military, will submit a request to
the Serbian government so that the decision to resume joint exercises with
NATO, as well as with our other partners, which we have held before, will be
considered in the near future," Vucic said.
"It is important for us to cooperate with NATO and KFOR (a NATO-led
international peacekeeping force in Kosovo - TASS) in the hope of somehow
ensuring the security of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija," the
Serbian leader pointed out. "We’re doing the right thing by cooperating
with NATO, our interaction is at a good level," he pointed out.
"The Serbian armed forces have always performed their duties
professionally, have not overstepped their authority and have maintained
correct relations with NATO and KFOR. Serbia is a militarily neutral country
and will remain so," Vucic emphasized.
Tass
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