Minister Sutanovac: Visit to USA for the improvement of the relations
The Serbian Minister of Defense Dragan Syutanovac visited USA last week upon the invitation of Robert Gates, US Secretary of Defense. This is the first invitation to a Serbian Defense Minister after 25 years.
During his visit to USA, minister Sutanovac met with the USA Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and he also had meetings in the Senate, Congress and the White House. Serbian delegation also visited Ohio as a guest to the National Guard of that state, with whom SAF has a Partnership Program.
Serbian Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac said that the meeting with his American colleague Robert Gates, is one of the most important meetings since he had been leading Ministry, and that this visit ought to have influence on improvement of not only the cooperation in the defense field, but of overall Serbia – USA relations.
“It is known that we had a lot of problems in the last decade of the last century, but it is also known that during the several last years Ministry of Defense has been making a large steps towards stabilization of Serbia – USA relations”, said Sutanovac to the Serbian and American journalists after the meeting with Gates in Pentagon.
Sutanovac also said that the recent visit of the US Vice President Joe Biden proved that “US respects Serbia”, which is significant. Furthermore, on the meeting with Gates it was agreed that among the overall relations between two countries, one of the most important is in the defense field.
Sutanovac reminded that more dozens Serbian officers had been and still are educated in prestige US military schools, and added that he talked with Gates about further exchange of experience in the field of education and training.
Two ministries were talking about further SAF activities in the NATO Partnership for Peace Program. Sutanovac informed his colleague about SAF Medical Team participation in peacekeeping mission in Chad and our intention to participate in other missions along with the “European partners”.
“At this moment, it is difficult for us to have more serious engagement in missions, as it would be US consideration, due to technical as well as political reasons”, said Sutanovac and added that he had explained a plan of SAF profesionalization, after which SAF will be interoperable with other armies.
He also added that they were not discussing the question of Kosovo and Metohija and reminded that there has been made an agreement during Biden’s visit that there is “no agreement” between two countries on that issue.
Minister Sutanovac reminded that USA have invested 500 million dollars in Serbia so far and said that he hopes that all future investments will be even more visible.
According to Sutanovac, the cooperation of SAF and Ohio National Guard has exceeded all expectations and should be an indicator for the improvement of the civil cooperation. He also added that cooperation of SAF and Ohio Guard is indicator for other US Guards how to cooperate with other armed forces.
Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac, at the end of the visit to Washington and Ohio, said that in all meetings he came to understanding and wish to improve USA – Serbia relations, not only in the defense field, but also in industry and economy, despite the disagreements on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija.
“SAF CHOD (Miloje) Miletic will visit USA in February, while in September we expect visit of the Chief National Guard Bureau General (Craig) McKinley, that will reinforce cooperation and deepen relations, having on mind that we want to continue to educate our officers in USA”, said Sutanovac to Beta News Agency at the end of his visit to USA.
He added that the visit was very positive and that he came to understanding on the issue of visa liberalization for Serbia in the meetings that he had in the Senate and Congress.
“I believe that, after the visa liberalization from the European Union, there are conditions to have positive steps in the same direction from the USA too”, said Sutanovac.
Minister said that he believes that the visit of the Senator George Voinovich to Serbia and the region in February next year will contribute to enhancing of Serbia and USA relations.
“I am convinced that there will be more senators that will want to familiarize with the situation in Serbia, in the full conviction that Serbia should get final support for the European integration and strengthening relations with the USA”, Sutanovac said.
Serbia is one of newest members of the Partnership for Peace (PfP), joining in December 2006. Democratic, institutional and defence reforms are a key focus of cooperation. Serbia agreed its first Individual Partnership Programme (IPP) with NATO in 2009, which sets out priorities for its cooperation with NATO.
Minister Sutanovac for Politika daily
What is you assessment of the cooperation in the field of defense?
The Ministry of Defense of Serbia has maintained very stable relations with USA, and we can safely sy that this cooperation is the pillar of general relations of these two countries. Late 2006, Serbia joined PfP, and this year we also signed the security agreement, thus opening the path to further cooperation. Appointing Mr. Branislav Milinkovic as our ambassador to NATO PfP represents a step forward to future, even better relations of Serbia with USA.
What do you refer to when you say that defense is the pillar of relations between Serbia and USA?
It is a naïve thought to reduce the partnership in defense down to cooperation between armies. If we are aware that the USA defense budget is as the defense budget of the rest of the world, it becomes painfully clear what USA value as the most important thing. I am certain that if we adjust our interest in defense to their defense goals, we can have more possibilities, especially n the field of economy and industry.
Are these relations in line with the neutrality policy?
The Serbian National Assembly has reached a decision which is binding to all the state organs. However, only an open dialogue can bring us closer to a solution to problems we are facing. If we establish both partnership and friendship, then we have reached an ideal relation.
Our engagement when it comes to our relations with USA does not clash with the decision of the parliament on Serbia’s military neutrality. On the contrary, if we analyze carefully the statements of opposition leaders given in the past few months, we can see that all those political leaders aware of the responsibility their position bears, all advocate better relations with all the four pillars of our foreign policy.
Do we take care to maintain all these contacts with EU, USA, Russia at the same level?
In the last two years, we tried to adjust our foreign policy activities to our priority goal, obtaining EU membership, as well as to the needs of our defense system. I am certain that we have succeeded in this. When we talk about Serbia’s accession to EU I have to remind you that the European commission as early as last year stated in its report that the system of defense in Serbia had meet all the criteria of democratic world.
What is your view of the Russian plan on the new security system in Europe.
I have not had a chance to attend a single meeting during the visit of the Russian President Dimitry Medvedev where security was discussed from Moscow’s point of view. I do not have a full insight into this proposal, which means I have no concrete position. However, it is my personal belief that Serbia should become a regional leader and should start fulfilling its international obligations which all the world countries have to comply. Let me remind you that Serbia has for the first time sent its military medical team to a UN mission to Chad. This was how Serbia returned to the international secen of preserving global security, which ranks as a mature and internationally responsible country.
USA support the independence of Kosovo and Metohija and they have deployed their troops there. How does this fit into your efforts to strengthen relations in the field of defense?
The fact remains that even during the visit of Joseph Byden, Vice President of USA, the officials of both Serbia and USA did not fail to mention that we clashed in this respect. On the other hand, what Byden said during his visit to Pristina, is completely in line with Belgrade’s interests-that is improving the standard of life of the citizens in Kosovo, greater respect of human rights, protection of minorities, and curbing all kind of extremism. It is up to the politicians to protect the citizens from a dead end situation, in which Serbia would find itself should it rely only on the support of those countries which did not recognize Kosovo.
Does this mean that you should be as pragmatic as possible?
Let us just picture Serbia without any direct or indirect investments which come from US through various companies. How many thousands of families would be left without income? A responsible politician should always bear this in mind even if this does not bring them political popularity. By choosing politics as our profession, we have opted for taking full responsibility for our actions, which means establishing our results and failures at the end of the term.
Planned meetings in USA
During his visit to USA Minister Sutanovac met with the Secretary of State for Defense Robert Gates, with scheduled visit to the White House, State Department, Congress and the Senate as well as to Ohio with the representatives of ONG (Ohio National Guard). “SAF have established excellent cooperation with ONG< while the MoD had excellent cooperation with US DoD”, as Sutanovac says.
Educating Serbian officers
In the period 2001-2009, a total of 83 members of MoD and SAF were sent to various forms of studies in USA. Currently there are 13 officers, one NCO and four students at the studies in USA.
References:
1. Republic of Serbia Ministry of Defnse http://www.mod.gov.rs
2. North Atlantic Treaty Organization http://www.nato.int
3. PIMS Members Site https://members.pims.org (requires registration and login)