NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on his profile on the social network "Ex" that he had a conversation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, the main topics of the meeting being regional security and strengthening relations between NATO and Serbia, BTA reports.
„A good meeting with the President of Serbia in Brussels after our phone conversation two weeks ago. "We discussed the key importance of maintaining regional security, as well as continuing to strengthen relations between NATO and Serbia," Rutte wrote.
Vučić and Rutte met last night in Brussels, where the Serbian president also held talks with European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos.
After the meeting, Vučić told journalists that he had discussed with Rutte "all important issues, cooperation and the situation in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina." The Serbian president described the day as "successful for Serbia" and stressed the importance of discussing the geopolitical situation.
„We talked about everything, of course the geopolitical situation“, Vucic noted, quoted by TANJUG.
He also expressed concern about the consequences of the military agreements between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo, which he said were leading to a new arms race in the region. „It is difficult for Serbia, but we will be able to defend our country“, Vucic said, adding that these actions violate the subregional arms control agreement of 1996.
„This is a violation of the so-called subregional arms control agreement of 1996. It is up to us to understand the reality and prepare for the future accordingly“, the Serbian president stressed.
The subregional arms control agreement, included in the Dayton Peace Agreement to end the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was signed by Croatia, the then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It contains restrictions on five categories of weapons and mechanisms for monitoring and verification. Since 2006, the parties to the agreement have been Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia and Serbia.
Vučić noted that talks between Serbia and NATO would continue, expressing a will for close cooperation and constant contact, with the aim of preserving stability and peace in the region. “This is of great interest to us, first of all, but I would say also to NATO, given the geopolitical situation“, he added.