MFA Ivan Mrkic said today that by inviting Serbia to participate in the EU Mission in Mali, a new chapter had been ushered in regarding the relationship between Serbia and the European Union, a chapter implying deepening of their past cooperation and partner relations.

When explaining in Parliament the proposed decision on the use and participation of members of the Serbian Armed Forces in the EU Training Mission for the military and security forces in Mali, Minister Mrkic said that engagement of SAF members in multinational peace operations contributed to enhancing capacities and national security.

"Participation of the Serbian Armed Forces in activities within the European Common Security and Defence Policy (ECSDP) is one of the MoD's overarching goals, as demonstrated through the engagement of Serbian forces in EU Naval Force (EUNAFOR) against pirates in Somalia and in the EU Training Mission for the Somali security forces in Uganda", said Mrkic.

With regard to EUTM Mali, it is envisaged to engage a total of 13 medical personnel and training teams and to allocate 75 million dinars for these purposes, as earmarked in the Law on the 2013 Budget, concerning MoD spending.

The Minister explained that EU High Representative Catherine Ashton invited Serbia to participate in EUTM Mali.

He said that Parliament needed to decide on the proposed decision in view of the fact that the invitation came after the SAF annual plan of participation in multinational operations had already been adopted, and considering that this mission had not been envisaged in the plan. Therefore, he called on the MPs to support the decision.

Previously, in February of this year, the Serbian Parliament adopted the decision on the annual plan of use of the Serbian Armed Forces and of other defence forces in 2013, and on the participation SAF members in multinational operations, according to which SAF members participate in nine UN- and EU-led operations and Ministry of Interior members in four such operations in 2013.