Bilateral relations between Greece and Serbia and the situation in the wider region - focusing particularly on the Kosovo - dominated talks held by Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis in Belgrade on Thursday.
Meimarakis was formally received by his Serb counterpart Zoran Stankovic at Topcider military base in Belgrade.
Talks focused on bilateral defence cooperation while a new broader defense agreement was signed by the two sides. Meimarakis stressed in a press conference that the new agreement gives special emphasis to military training and cooperation between training centers for peace operations in Belgrade, Serbia and Kilkis, Greece, while he assured his Serb counterpart that the Greek government supports Serbia’s Euro-Atlantic prospect.
On his part, Stankovic thanked the Greek minister for the support and revealed that Greece will back Serbia’s accession into the NATO Partnership for Peace initiative in the imminent NATO summit to take place in Riga, Latvia in late November.
Kosovo was the dominant issue at the meeting Meimarakis had with Serb Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, who reiterated that his country cannot accept a solution that will not respect its sovereign rights in the region. The Greek minister pointed out the need for a mutually acceptable solution soon, stating that a likely extension of uncertainty would have a negative effect on stability in the wider region.
Meimarakis wrapped up his contacts in Belgrade by meeting Serb Patriarch Pavle. The head of the Serb Orthodox Church referred to the historical ties shared by the two peoples and thanked the Greeks for their support to the Serbs.
Before leaving the Serb capital, Meimarakis visited the newly built St. Sava Cathedral, the largest Orthodox Christian church in the Balkans.
Yes this is good.
Let's see if the Greeks maintain their show of support for the Serbs. In deeds not just words.
This is all I have found in English on the meeting & it's from B92:
"Euro-Atlantic system in Serbian military
9 November 2006 | 14:18 | Source: FoNet
BELGRADE -- The defense minister says Greece will back Serbia’s bid to join NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP).
Zoran Stankoviæ expressed his gratititude for Greece’s support to Serbia’s defense system reforms to his Greek counterpart Evangelos Meimarakis. The two ministers signed an agreement on the defense sector cooperation between Serbia and Greece.
Greek defense minister Evangelos Meimarakis said Serbia’s admission to NATO’s PfP program would secure peace and stability in the region.
According to Stankoviæ, the signed agreement opens up the possibility of cooperation in many areas of the defense sector, first and foremost in improving the technical and technological aspects, education of the commanding structures, joint training of the special forces, and the training of the NCOs.
“We wish to use these reforms to reestablish the reputation our military deserves, to make it modern and professional, and based on a true Euro-Atlantic system. In this, we need and our encouraged by the assistance from our Greek friends”, defense minister Stankoviæ was quoted."
Where did your story come from so I can quote it on my blog?
BB