Newsroom
OSCE Mission welcomes adoption of new Defence Strategy by Serbia and Montenegro
BELGRADE 19 November 2004
BELGRADE, 19 November 2004 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, welcomed yesterday's adoption of a new Defence Strategy by the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro.
"The adoption of the new defence Strategy is an important step forward in the modernisation of the army of Serbia and Montenegro and its reform in line with international standards," Massari said.
"The defence sector reforms are an indispensable element of the democratic transition and the fulfilment of conditions for integration into Euro-Atlantic security structures."
"This clearly expresses the desire of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro to join NATO's Partnership-for-Peace programme, a precursor for full NATO membership. However, one of the primary pre-conditions for Partnership-for-Peace remains the full and unconditional co-operation with the ICTY," he added.
The strategy is also a positive message to the international community and to the region since it defines as the main threats the same concerns shared by other states - amongst others terrorism and organised crime. This should be a basis for closer co-operation between the Union of Serbia and Montenegro and its neighbouring states.
In addition, the OSCE Mission welcomed yesterday's adoption of a law by the Union parliament which transfers the competencies of military courts to the judiciaries of the two states. This is an important and long-overdue act stemming from the Constitutional Charter. The steps necessary to implement this law should be taken before the end of the year by both members states as prescribed by the new law.
The new law is another step towards bringing the relevant legislation and practice into line with those in other democracies.
The OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro hopes that the adoption of the Strategy and the law will help to accelerate reform of the military and the security sector. The OSCE Mission will continue to provide support for defence and security sector reforms in particular with its programme of improving oversight of the army by relevant parliamentary committees.
"The adoption of the new defence Strategy is an important step forward in the modernisation of the army of Serbia and Montenegro and its reform in line with international standards," Massari said.
"The defence sector reforms are an indispensable element of the democratic transition and the fulfilment of conditions for integration into Euro-Atlantic security structures."
"This clearly expresses the desire of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro to join NATO's Partnership-for-Peace programme, a precursor for full NATO membership. However, one of the primary pre-conditions for Partnership-for-Peace remains the full and unconditional co-operation with the ICTY," he added.
The strategy is also a positive message to the international community and to the region since it defines as the main threats the same concerns shared by other states - amongst others terrorism and organised crime. This should be a basis for closer co-operation between the Union of Serbia and Montenegro and its neighbouring states.
In addition, the OSCE Mission welcomed yesterday's adoption of a law by the Union parliament which transfers the competencies of military courts to the judiciaries of the two states. This is an important and long-overdue act stemming from the Constitutional Charter. The steps necessary to implement this law should be taken before the end of the year by both members states as prescribed by the new law.
The new law is another step towards bringing the relevant legislation and practice into line with those in other democracies.
The OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro hopes that the adoption of the Strategy and the law will help to accelerate reform of the military and the security sector. The OSCE Mission will continue to provide support for defence and security sector reforms in particular with its programme of improving oversight of the army by relevant parliamentary committees.