Visit from NATO Defense College delegation to Serbia

The Senior Course 143 participants, and the teaching and administrative staff from 34 NATO member and partner countries, led by Lieutenant General Max Nielsen, NATO Defense College Commandant, Rome, are on a three-day study visit to the Republic of Serbia. 



On this occasion, the representatives of this academic institution were presented with the topics of foreign and security policy, defence policy, as well as cooperation with NATO within the framework of the Partnership for Peace Programme, Serbia's participation in the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy, the Serbian Armed Forces’ operational capability development and activities outside the country’s borders. Representatives of the Defence University of the Ministry of Defence held a discussion on global security challenges that have implications for European and regional security.
 
In his lecture to the Senior Course participants, acting Assistant Minister for Defence Policy Predrag Bandić said that the global security situation had significantly worsened, and that wars and other forms of unrest were showing a growing tendency. Referring to the current armed conflicts in different parts of the world, Assistant Minister Bandić concluded that the global security recession was the product of the absence of a constructive dialogue, misunderstanding and disregard for the interests of different peoples, states, and regions.



He referred to the decades-long continuous diminishment of the importance of collective security institutions’ role and the violation of fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. In this regard, he underscored that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija was of vital importance for Serbia and regional security and stated that the situation in the southern Serbian province posed the biggest political and security threat. Full EU membership and contribution to the Common Security and Defence Policy remains one of the national priorities, while Serbia will approach cooperation with all other significant international actors, including NATO, in a constructive manner, adhering to the framework of military neutrality.
 
Representatives of the NATO Defense College were addressed by acting Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Security Policy Igor Kuželka and Colonel Mićo Suvajac, Commandant of the National Defense School, Defence University.



During the activity, Defence University Rector Brigadier General Prof. Boban Đorović and NATO Defense College Commandant Lieutenant General Max Nielsen held a meeting where they discussed the existing cooperation and finding ways to improve it in the future.
 
Lieutenant General Max Nielsen said that the visit to Belgrade was a unique opportunity for the Senior Course 143 participants to better understand the security and defence priorities and challenges facing Serbia. He also said that the understanding of different national perspectives and dialogue between allies and partners was a key lesson taught at his educational institution, but also a major step towards greater cohesion in the future, so that global challenges could be tackled and peace and security preserved by working together.