France backs more intense cooperation with Balkan countries

BELGRADE - France promotes intensification of cooperation with Western Balkan countries and supports Serbia's European integration process, the Serbian Defence Ministry released on Friday, after the meeting between Defence Minister Bratislav Gasic and French Ambassador to Belgrade Francois-Xavier Deniau.

France heads the initiative to stage a donor conference in Brussels on July 16 to raise aid for flood-hit countries. During the meeting, Gasic thanked for support and assistance provided by France and the engagement of the country's special units in the rescue missions during the catastrophic floods in Serbia.

In the year to mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I, three members of the National Guard of the Serbian Army will take part in the parade in Paris on July 14, national holiday of France, as part of the Serbian delegation headed by Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran Care and Social Affairs Aleksandar Vulin.

One of the conclusions reached at the meeting was that the cooperation in the defence sector is intense and the main areas cover military-educational cooperation, joint training and participation in multinational operations under EU auspices, as well as military-economic and scientific-technical cooperation.

Gasic called on French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to visit Serbia by the end of the year.

Photo Tanjug, N. Jovanovic (Archive)