MLO Belgrade  /  Newsroom  /  News Archive  /  2023  /  NATO DASG PASP Javier Colomina visits Serbia

On February 13, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy Javier Colomina paid a visit to Serbia, where he had separate meetings with the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic, as well as with Assistant Minister of Defence for Defence Policy Predrag Bandic.  

During the meetings, Mr. Colomina and Serbian officials discussed NATO-Serbia long-standing and mutually beneficial partnership. In this sense, Mr. Colomina expressed satisfaction of NATO with the practical cooperation with Serbia at all levels, and in particular the interoperability and professionalism of the Serbian Armed Forces. 

We are satisfied with the level of political dialogue, but also with the practical cooperation that we have at different levels, and in particular the military cooperation. We are also satisfied with the interoperability and professionalism of Serbian armed forces.

NATO DASG PASP Javier Colomina (right) at the meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic

Deputy Assistant Secretary General also pointed out that he talked with Serbian authorities about the regional situation, in particular about the EU facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. He used the opportunity to convey NATO’s support for the EU efforts in the context of EU’s most recent proposal for Kosovo, as well as that NATO expects Serbia to support those efforts.

NATO DASG PASP Javier Colomina with First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic

Furthermore, Mr. Colomina reiterated NATO’s full respect of Serbia’s stated military neutrality policy, highlighting the expectation to strengthen the NATO-Serbia cooperation, based on Serbia’s needs and requirements.

He concluded by stressing that NATO’s KFOR mission is ready to ensure the safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo, under the mandate of UNSCR 1244. In this sense, Colomina added that any changes to KFOR's mission remain condition-based and not calendar-driven.