Minister Gajdoš holding talks in Serbia
- Author:
- Photo:
- Date: 15.06.2018
- Share: Zdieľať na Facebook
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš continued the second day of his official visit to the Republic of Serbia on 15 June. In addition to having an office call with his counterpart Aleksandar Vulin, he also met for talks with 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dačić and Deputy Speaker of the Serbian National Assembly Vladimir Marinković. In the meetings with his Serbian partners, Head of the MOD took stock of current political and security developments in the Western Balkans region, reiterated Slovakia’s support for Serbiaʼs EU integration efforts, as well as discussing areas of common interest in furtherance of bilateral defence cooperation.
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “Slovakia perceives Serbia as a strategic partner and at the same time as a significant factor of security and political stability in the Western Balkans. Serbiaʼs position is important especially today when it is clear that diverse extremist forces are on the increase in Europe, threatening long-standing stability and European values." He went on to add that EU enlargement is among Slovakia’s key foreign policy priorities, whereas our country is ready to help Serbia practically by sharing expertise in the field of education, public diplomacy, and security sector reform.
SRB Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said: “I highly appreciate Slovakiaʼs position and courage at a time when other countries need assistance. We are also enormously indebted to you, for your country has not recognised the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence.” Adding: “We will cooperate, learn from each other, and seek to develop our civil and military relations.”
During the meetings, Serbian partners praised the SVK position on Serbiaʼs pro-European direction and Slovakiaʼs sustained support for the principle of preserving Serbiaʼs territorial integrity. They also appreciated the joint SVK-SRB deployments on international crisis management missions and operations, giving a positive assessment of the SVK-SRB collaboration in UNFICYP, Cyprus.
At the talks with his counterpart, Minister Gajdoš went over specific opportunities for collaborating on armaments, education, training &military occupational specialty (MOS)-specific training. On the former and latter, Minister Gajdoš made an offer of Slovakia hosting SRB troops, to undertake training at the CBRN Facility Zemianske Kostoľany and the Armed Forces Academy-delivered International Staff Officers Courses (ISOC) in Liptovský Mikuláš. They also spoke about the possibility of third parties, including Serbia, participating in PESCO, which Slovakia is highly open to, bearing in mind the added value the third parties may bring to PESCO.
Still during the talks with Minister Vulin, Minister Gajdoš informed him about the SVK MODʼs Strategic Documents, the modernization programmes ensuing from them, and the support the MOD gives to the domestic armaments industry. It was providing systematic support to the defence industries and defence companies of both countries that he saw as an area of cooperation that could be further deepened.
SVK Minister of Defence Peter Gajdoš said: “Slovakia perceives Serbia as a strategic partner and at the same time as a significant factor of security and political stability in the Western Balkans. Serbiaʼs position is important especially today when it is clear that diverse extremist forces are on the increase in Europe, threatening long-standing stability and European values." He went on to add that EU enlargement is among Slovakia’s key foreign policy priorities, whereas our country is ready to help Serbia practically by sharing expertise in the field of education, public diplomacy, and security sector reform.
SRB Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin said: “I highly appreciate Slovakiaʼs position and courage at a time when other countries need assistance. We are also enormously indebted to you, for your country has not recognised the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence.” Adding: “We will cooperate, learn from each other, and seek to develop our civil and military relations.”
During the meetings, Serbian partners praised the SVK position on Serbiaʼs pro-European direction and Slovakiaʼs sustained support for the principle of preserving Serbiaʼs territorial integrity. They also appreciated the joint SVK-SRB deployments on international crisis management missions and operations, giving a positive assessment of the SVK-SRB collaboration in UNFICYP, Cyprus.
At the talks with his counterpart, Minister Gajdoš went over specific opportunities for collaborating on armaments, education, training &military occupational specialty (MOS)-specific training. On the former and latter, Minister Gajdoš made an offer of Slovakia hosting SRB troops, to undertake training at the CBRN Facility Zemianske Kostoľany and the Armed Forces Academy-delivered International Staff Officers Courses (ISOC) in Liptovský Mikuláš. They also spoke about the possibility of third parties, including Serbia, participating in PESCO, which Slovakia is highly open to, bearing in mind the added value the third parties may bring to PESCO.
Still during the talks with Minister Vulin, Minister Gajdoš informed him about the SVK MODʼs Strategic Documents, the modernization programmes ensuing from them, and the support the MOD gives to the domestic armaments industry. It was providing systematic support to the defence industries and defence companies of both countries that he saw as an area of cooperation that could be further deepened.
