Third Balkans Chiefs of Staff conference

The Third Balkan Chiefs of Staff conference is held today in Belgrade Hotel "Continental". At the opening ceremony, the Minister of Defense greeted the participants.

Mr. Chairman,
Respected Chiefs of Staff of the Balkan countries,
Mr. Admiral
Respected representatives of EU and NATO,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear guests,

It is my great pleasure to be present today at the opening of the Third Balkan Chief s of Staff conference, a forum for improving military cooperation and the regional security. It is my honor, to be able to greet the forum members and EU and NATO representatives on behalf of the host country and the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, as their presence speaks volumes of the importance of this conference.

The Balkans have for a long time been mentioned as one of those regions with very low democratic awareness and that it was not ready to adopt democratic values. Proof for this can be found in numerous wars and armed conflicts waged by almost all nations in these territories.

Today, though we come from different countries and though we represent the specifics of our motherlands, despite all borders, we are aware that the security space goes beyond these regional borders.

To talk about the security of each country separately, without bearing in mind the risks to the whole region and its security, would be wrong as it would be wrong to think that we can curb organized crime by ourselves within the borders of our respective countries.

Such battle would be lost in advance, as modern security challenges, risk and threats go beyond these borders.

Let me remind you that those who unit in order to destabilize one country have no obstacles in terms of language or borders, rather, they do not need any protocols or agreements to work together on such projects!

This is why this conference, where the chiefs of armies of the Balkan countries will be discussing the possibilities for promoting security and military cooperation, is so important.

I am certain that the Balkan countries have the necessary capacities to be reliable partners in regional and international security system as I am convinced that this initiative should be enlarged to involve a number of other countries, which belong to the security sector, whatever may be the name of that geographical space.

The Balkan countries developed cooperation in defense in the previous period which is realized through the work of numerous regional initiatives, boosted in the regional cooperation.

The work of the regional forums enable us to advocate the forming of other regional centers and to participate in joint projects. The Republic of Serbia has submitted a proposal for among other thing forming of regional centers, NBC and Military Medical regional center being the largest.

Without any doubt, cooperation in the field of security and defense leads to cooperation in defense industry and economy in general. By strengthening industrial and economic capacities, we are also boosting economic and social stability as one of the main preconditions for general safety and security of any country. I am sure that this kind of cooperation will enable us with a clear future in developing and producing new weapons and modern equipment!

By reforming our system of defense, we are striving towards integration as we see the integration and reform processes as one, as an inevitable and long-term process.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Besides the efforts invested and the results achieved, regional safety has not been fully stabilized and unfortunately those dangers and threats that violence outbreak might recur have not been deterred.

Clashing political views regarding the current risks and threats and their origins in the region should be harmonized, in order to reach a joint goal-security stabilization of the Balkans.
Asymmetrical threats, terrorism and organized crime additionally exacerbate the security of the region.

I would like to reiterate and stress once again the inadequate address of such issues as the return of refugees, exiled and internally dislocated persons, which further slows down the whole stabilization process.
One of the key problems is the unresolved issue of the Kosovo status.
Regarding the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence, Republic of Serbia wil continue to preserve its principled struggle through political and diplomatic means in order to preserve the territorial integrity and to abide by the principles of the international law.

I am certain that the European future of the countries in the region and that this conference will focus on finding solutions to all those problems identified at previous conferences in order to create a safer environment.
Hoping we will achieve this goal, I greet you once again and wish you a pleasant stay in Belgrade, said the Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac in his opening address.

The conference is chaired by LTG Miloje Miletic, the Chief of SAF GS, with the Chiefs of the armies of the following countries also attending the meeting : Albania-Brigadier General Maxim Malay, from B&H-LTG Miladin Milojcic, from Bulgaria-general Zlatan Stojkov, Montenegro-Vice Admiral Dragan Samardzic, Greece-General Dimitros Graspas, Macedonia-LTG Miroslav Stojanovski, Romania-Admiral George Marin and Turkey-General Ilker Bashbuk. Furthermore, the Chairman of EU Military Committee General Henri Bentégeat, and Admiral Mark Fitzgerlad Naples Allied JFCand former Chiefs of GS of Greece and Serbia, generals Hinofotis and Ponos respectively.

In his opening address, LTG Miletic expressed great pleasure at the fact that the SAF GS and the city of Belgrade were hosts of such an important conference. He greeted the conference attendants and the Minister of Defense, Dragan Sutanovac recalling his engagement and involvement on developing and promoting regional cooperation between the defense ministries and armies of the region, which he has once again confirmed by attending the conference.

The Chief of SAF GS also remarked that the current security threats, and risks point to the existence of greater interdependence of the states in the region thus imposing the need for cooperation in the area of security. The basis for such cooperation are dialogue, partnership and joint activities on maintaining and promoting security and safety.

“We live in a world where military threats are decreasing while there is surge of military threats. All these facts point to the need for further cooperation, joint and more effective action, exchange of information-there is an ever growing need for preventive activities, which requires a high level of mutual trust, understanding and reaching a required level of interoperability”, as LTG Miletic said.

The conference chairman expressed his view that the current security surroundings require innovating the existing and defining new areas of military cooperation as well as the need for intensifying it. This was the key message of the opening ceremony.

This conference is a regional initiative led by the Chiefs of Defense of Albania, B&H, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Turkey and Serbia. The conference was first established at the plenary meeting held in 2007 in Thessalonica, Greece. The second conference was held in turkey. The forum of defense chiefs if held once a year and it is chaired by the defense chief of the host country. All decisions are reached through consensus.