The Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE), jointly with the Delegation for relations with the countries of South East Europe, exchange views with Dragan ŠUTANOVAC, Serbian Minister of Defence, in the EUropean Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

exchange of views

EU - Serbia (T)

Subcommittee on Security and Defence

KUKAN, Eduard (EPP, SK)

KACIN, Jelko (ALDE, SI)

SUTANOVAK, Dragan (RS)

EU - Serbia: extracts from the exchange of views

SOUNDBITE (English), Dragan SUTANOVAK, Serbian Minister of Defence, Something that it's a huge problem that we are trying to solve it is a bout the weapons which are very close to the date of expiring for use. From the start we have about 37.000 tones of these kinds of materials. In 3 years we've destroyed about 20.3 thousands tones, and still now we have about 17 t. From these 17 .000 t we have more than 5.000 which are not in proper storage. It's in the field lets say, and this is a problem that we are asking from the EU and from the friends of NATO to help us to solve this problem.

SOUNDBITE (English), Eduard KUKAN (EPP, SV), Head of the EP Delegation for relations with Serbia, NATO. Since 1999 when NATO forces bombed new Yugoslavia the relations between Serbia and the Alliance were not essay. It is understandable under the situation at the time. Most of the countries in the region progressed relatively fast to NATO membership but the issue of Kosovo and the hole 1990es slow downs the path for road for Serbia. Last year seems to broad some chance, positive change.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jelko KACIN (ALDE, SI), rapporteur, We are still frozen, or you are frozen, and we can not perform on what we will like to deliver. So we will like to ask you to tell us something about your efforts inside of the military structure to finish that story about Ratko Mladić whom is still unfortunately at large, and of course we are all of us waiting for the final report of Serge Brammertz abut his recent visit in Belgrade and his assessment on the level of cooperation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dragan SUTANOVAK, Serbian Minister of Defence, On the difficult cooperation, not cooperation but relation with NATO , this is also legacy what did not have any other colleagues from Europe... and this is something what we are fully aware that we have to pass this some difficult time. But what is important for us is that we want to be partner within the PfP and we are really trying to get and give as much as possible of this cooperation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dragan SUTANOVAK, Serbian Minister of Defence, No one in Serbia and with in the Hague tribunal do not speak that military is hiding war indicted . What they say is that we hide some people in the civil security sector we find some of them and we are willing to find all of them. The most important thing now is that the political decision has been made by the President government, myself, all others. We are supporting this cooperation and we are willing to finalise this cooperation. Now it's on the technical level. I know that most of our countries are informed on what we are doing and I believe that we are going to finish it as soon as possible.