Gasic, Economides discuss defence cooperation

BELGRADE - Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and Greek Ambassador to Serbia Constantine Economides have discussed improvement of defence cooperation between the two countries.

The two countries need to work on improving cooperation in areas of mutual interest, on realistic and rational foundations, Gasic said on Thursday.

This includes cooperation in EU crisis management operations, improving cooperation within the Common Security and Defence Policy and developing joint projects with the European Security Agency, the Serbian Ministry of Defence said on its website.

Gasic thanked Ambassador Economides for Greece's continued support to the strategic objectives of Serbia's foreign policy - EU membership, preservation of territorial integrity and improvement of regional cooperation.

As part of the traditionally good cooperation between Serbia and Greece, "military cooperation is carried out through joint training of special forces and training of officers for participation in multinational operations," the ministry's statement said.

In late May, the Serbian Defence Ministry and the Greek Ministry of National Defence signed a plan on bilateral military cooperation for 2014.

The plan also envisions cooperation between peacekeeping operations centres, exchange of instructors for training for peacekeeping operations and military medical and military economic cooperation.

Photo Tanjug, N.Jovanovic