The Defense and Security Committee members stressed that joining the European Union and taking active part in Europe’s joint defense and security policy is one of Serbia’s strategic priorities. Consequently, they pointed out the importance of the signed Agreement for Exchange of Confidential Information and Agreement for the Participation in Crisis Management Operations which created the legal pre-conditions for the Serbian Army’s active participation in EU peace missions in accordance to the 2011 Annual Plan for the use of the Serbian Army and other defense forces in multinational operations.

General Syrén briefed the Committee members on the European Union’s current missions in Bosnia, Somalia and Uganda and thanked for Serbia’s readiness to take part in the EUTM Somalia and EUNAFOR-ATALANTA missions.

General Syrén expressed his belief that his two-day visit to the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Army, which this meeting was also part of, would result in possibly furthering and expanding military cooperation.