Jovan Palalić: Serbia will build trust in the world on the principles of the Non-Aligned Movement

​

In his speech at the meeting of the CSTO PA Standing Commission on Political Affairs and International Cooperation, Jovan Palalić, deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, which is an observer to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, recalled that the principle of military neutrality is formalized in the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Serbia adopted on December 27, 2019, “whose cornerstones are preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity, military neutrality, care for the Serbian people outside of the Republic of Serbia, European integration and effective law-governed state.”

However, this does not contradict the National Assembly’s status of the Observer to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly.

The Republic of Serbia, stressed Jovan Palalić, as a military neutral state, “seeks to continuously advance its security system to achieve the most effective response to challenges, risks and threats. In this sense, the Republic of Serbia is expanding and deepening the existing level of its cooperation with the CSTO in order to contribute to global stability and security in accordance with the policy of military neutrality.”

“We consider our participation in the work of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly as an observer” an important element of this cooperation, noted Mr Palalić.

The deputy thanked the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly “for the opportunity to participate for the first time as an observer in the parliamentary election in Russia,” noting “the extraordinary organization of the CSTO PA observer mission during the observation of the election in Moscow and St Petersburg.” He also thanked “the Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat and Secretary Sergei Pospelov for their special contribution to the success of this mission.”

Jovan Palalić emphasized the “traditionally good relations between the Republic of Serbia and the CSTO Member States based on historical friendship.” “These friendly relations are confirmed by all Member States’ support of the territorial integrity of Serbia over the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, which the Serbian people greatly respect and appreciate,” he stressed.

Jovan Palalić said that the Republic of Serbia and its Ministry of Defence are committed to developing and further promoting cooperation with the CSTO.

“For our part, we have expressed our intention to obtain the status of an observer or partner state to the CSTO for members and units of our Armed Forces to participate in the CSTO exercises.”

“The Republic of Serbia will promote mutual trust with the CSTO to achieve common goals and contribute to global stability and security in accordance with the policy of military neutrality,” said the member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.