MOSCOW, 7 September (BelTA) – Cooperation between the CSTO and Serbia can transform in the future into a qualitatively new partnership, CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas said as he met with Serbia's Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin in Moscow on 5 September, BelTA learned from CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov.
According to Stanislav Zas, the relations between the CSTO and Serbia demonstrate their increasing role in strengthening European security. “The scale and direction of our cooperation in recent years have shown that the CSTO cooperation with Serbia is becoming one of the most important areas of our activity, which in the future can transform into qualitatively new partnership relations,” he said.
The parties expressed concern over the difficult military and political situation in Eastern Europe, as well as the high activity of extremist and terrorist groups in Central Asia. It was noted that in this situation the ability to promptly respond to crises, as well as any aggressive actions, is crucial in ensuring military security of the CSTO member states and friendly organizations of the countries.
The Serbian minister of defense emphasized the readiness to develop cooperation with the CSTO in the areas of peacekeeping, military personnel training, and youth policy. “We attach great importance to participation of Serbian servicemen in the events held both within the CSTO and on bilateral basis with member states of the organization,” Stanislav Zas said.
The parties discussed participation of Serbian representatives in the command and staff exercise with the CSTO peacekeeping forces Irresistible Brotherhood 2020 and expressed the readiness to continue the practice of inviting Serbian servicemen to joint training events within the framework of the CSTO. An important outcome of the meeting was confirmation of mutual interest in strengthening long-term relations between CSTO and Serbia.
“At the end of the meeting the CSTO secretary general expressed gratitude to the Serbian minister of defense and the Serbian people for preserving historical monuments and also the memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War and the feat of our nations in the victory over the Nazis,” the spokesman said.
Photos courtesy of the CSTO