MLO Belgrade  /  Newsroom  /  News Archive  /  2022  /  NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General visits Serbia

Javier Colomina, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, paid a two day visit to Serbia, where he met with the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic, Foreign Policy Advisor of the Prime Minister Nikola Stojanovic and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Security Policy Dijana Ivancic. 

At the meetings with Serbian officials, Mr. Colomina highlighted the scope of NATO-Serbia long-standing and mutually beneficial partnership and its development on different domains of cooperation, in full respect of Serbia’s stated policy of military neutrality.  He also assessed that Serbia is a highly valued partner and stated that NATO supports the constructive role Serbia plays with regard to security in the Western Balkans.

NATO highly values its partner Serbia and welcomes our mutually beneficial cooperation. We fully respect Serbia's military neutrality policy.

NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Javier Colomina and the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic (photo credits: Serbian MFA website) 

NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Javier Colomina and the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic (photo credits: Serbian MoD website)

During the meetings, Mr. Colomina also emphasized that the new partnership framework, which NATO and Serbia are currently developing, offers the opportunity to advance the cooperation. In addition, he underscored NATO’s commitment to stability across the Western Balkans region and its strategic importance to the Alliance, as made clear in NATO’s new Strategic Concept. In light of the current situation in northern Kosovo, Mr. Colomina emphasised the continued stabilising role played by the NATO-led and UN-mandated KFOR mission, which guarantees a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities living in Kosovo. KFOR also provides the security framework in support to the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.