FYROMacedonia, Serbia enhance defense cooperation

  

 

 

 Skopje, June 10 (MIA)

– FYROMacedonian and Serbian Defense Ministers, Zoran Konjanovski and Dragan Sutanovac respectively, signed Wednesday an agreement for cooperation in the defense sector.

Talks focused on cooperation in Euro-Atlantic processes, development of good neighborly relations, information exchange, open dialogue for strengthening of trust and bilateral cooperation.

Ministers Konjanovski and Sutanovac also reviewed the possibility for military-economic cooperation in the field of military industry, but also military health.

Moreover, they concluded that both countries have to be put on the white Schengen list as soon as possible, followed by becoming full-fledged EU members.

DM Konjanovski stressed “Macedonia’s” support to Serbia’s Euro-Atlantic processes, mainly through its own experiences, but also within the South Eastern Defense Ministerial (SEDM) process.

“We see the region as a whole that needs to move towards Euro-Atlantic integration”, said Konjanovski.

According to Sutanovac, regardless of the administrative borders, security risks are common.

“We require stronger cooperation for prevention of all cross-border challenges and threats. These are primarily asymmetric threats and challenges, and not military, since the Balkans is on the path of narcotics and human trafficking, as well as the ones spreading religious extremism. It is in our interest to detect and prevent such phenomena as soon as possible”, emphasized the Serbian Defense Minister.

He added, “Macedonia” and Serbia do not agree over the settlement of the Kosovo issue, but agree that every solution should take into account the security of citizens in the region”.

Serbian DM Sutanovac is to meet later today with President Gjorge Ivanov and Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski. ik/fd/14:31

MIA

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