| Thursday, 04 April 2019. |
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| Ambassador Filipovic confers with Lieutenant General Pulkkinen, Director-General of the EU Military Staff | |
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 Acting Assistant Minister for Security Policy, Ambassador Branimir Filipovic, had talks today with Lieutenant General Esa Pulkkinen, Director-General of the EU Military Staff, who is on an official visit to Serbia at the invitation by Lieutenant General Milan Mojsilovic, Chief of the General Staff of Serbian Armed Forces.
Director General Pulkkinen underlined that the EU highly appreciated the commitment and engagement of Serbia in the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, primarily through its contribution to EU missions sand operations. He emphasized, in particular, the professionalism and good quality performance of the tasks assigned to representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces in EU missions and operations, thus contributing to the preservation of peace and stability in crisis-ridden regions. This was his impression not only in his capacity as Director General but as Commander of three EU operations with SAF personnel participation. Ambassador Filipovic pointed out that Serbia, as an EU candidate country, devoted great attention to participation in the concepts of the EU Common Security and Defence Policy as part of its foreign policy position and priorities, especially participation in EU missions and operations, as well as UN missions. He pointed out that Serbia's active participation in this field of European policies reasserted its strategic commitment to EU membership, its willingness to share responsibility and contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in wider areas through cooperation with the EU, while enhancing its own defence and other capacities through this form of cooperation, bearing in mind that many contemporary challenges and threats that endangered peace and stability were indivisible and requiree joint action in overcoming them. He also informed his collocutor about the ongoing process of establishing legal and institutional capacities in the Republic of Serbia to enable deployment of civilians to international civilian missions, which is another confirmation of our contribution to common EU policies. Both officials also exchanged views on the political and security situation in the region, and concluded that establishing mutual trust and understanding was crucial for successful resolution of all outstanding issues. On our part, special emphasis was put on Serbia’s views concerning the current situation in Kosovo and Metohija, posing the biggest political and security challenge for Serbia in the context of the unilateral acts by Pristina, and expectation was expressed with regard to KFOR mission’s full performance of its mandate under UNSC Resolution 1244, as the only legal military presence in the Province pursuant to this UN Security Council Resolution. |
