Military of Serbia International Partners

Serbia is a self-proclaimed militarily neutral country with observed status in the Non-Aligned Movement. Military agreements have been signed with both NATO countries such as America, Romania, Slovenia and with Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states such as China, Russia, and Iran.
Military Partners of Serbia
*20 Algerian officers are attending postgraduate studies at the Military Technical Institute in Serbia.
*The Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of Serbia have signed a mutual protection of classified information agreement. This agreement allows joing military drills and trainings.
*On November 5, 2008, China and Serbia have signed a military cooperation agreement. This has marked the official establishment of bilateral regular military cooperation between these two states. The main objective of the agreement is the enhancement of cooperation between the two defenses ministries. Future projects could include military medical cooperation between the two countries.
*Two nations have underlined the traditional friendly ties between Serbia and China, as well as their common respect for the principles of international law.
*China has recently donated €500,000 for the development of Serbian Armed Forces.
*Serbia had helped China by providing tents for the population hit by the earthquake in Szechwan where 80,000 persons died.
*Many Serbian troops are being educated in China. By the end of the year several more Serbian Officers will have the opportunity to attend training programs in China. Also, Chinese troops are being educated in Serbia. Serbia offers the capacities of its Atomic Biological Nuclear Chemical Center in Krusevac, the Center for Peace Operations, and the educational capacities of its Military Academy. One Chinese officer is attending Military Medical Academy in Serbia. Two Chinese doctors have recently completed specialization training in the same facility.
*Military cooperation between the two countries is satisfactory. Danish Deputy Permanent Secretary of State for Defense Kristian Fischer said that Denmark sees its military role in the semi-recognized republic of Kosovo, that is legally a part of Serbia, strictly within KFOR, that is, acting according to Resolution 1244 and international law.
*On January 26th 2009, defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac and his British counterpart Bob Ainsworth signed an agreement on defense sector cooperation.
*There is a special military tradition between France and Serbia. The tradition goes back to the First World War when the Serbs considered France their second home. This was because France saved thousands of Serbs from a sure death. They helped Serbian soldiers, woman and children to escape into Greek island of Corfu. Afterward, the Serbian army regrouped and joined the French in the Thessaloniki front.
*A draft of the agreement, that provides a base for Military Corporation, was handed to the French delegates in last 2008. The draft envisions military cooperation between the French and Serbian special forces.
* See also Serbian Army in Greece during World War 1
*The Greek defense journal Peripolis Hellenic Defense has reported military Special Forces from both Greece and Serbia have been holding joint exercises near Niš. This is a continuation of previous military cooperation between the two governments. Greece and Serbia have a long history of cooperation. During the wars in Yugoslavia there were Greek volunteer units alongside Serbian units.
*The first meeting between the Serbian Chief of the Armed Forces and his Hungarian counterpart was held during December 2008. The meeting was held in order to promote exchange of information and to open up the possibility of future cooperation.
*On December 18th 2008, Hungarian and Serbian delegation signed a bilateral military agreement that envisages joint training and an exchange of experiences regarding defence system reform and peacekeeping operations.
*Military ties between Baghdad and Belgrade resumed in September 2006. Iraq has since bought $230m worth of weapons, ammunition, explosives, as well as 20 Lasta 95 basic trainer aircraft from Serbia for the re-development of the Iraqi Army.
*On January 22nd 2009 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Serbian counterpart have pledged to strengthen ties.
*30 Iraqi officers are enrolled in the Military Technical Institute in Serbia.
*On August 3rd, 2009, Iraq and Serbia have signed a defence cooperation agreement envisaging the sale of Serbian weapons and military equipment to Iraq, as well as the training of Iraqi soldiers in Serbia.
*Serbian Defense Minister Boris Tadic signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Israel in July 2003.
*The MoU facilitated joint training exercises, intelligence exchanges and arms sales between the two countries. Cooperation has always been at a high level even in 90's during the breakup of Yugoslavia.
*Serbian soldiers are expected to arrive soon in Israel for training to operate an Orbiter unmanned aircraft system to be supplied by Aeronautics Defense Systems for $700,000 and delivered soon after training is complete.
*Serbia has had 130 years of military relations with Italy.
*Two Serbian Air Force cadets at the Italian Air Force Academy currently rank as top students.
*Italy has donated 600000 EUR worth of special equipment devices for detection and for destroying unexploded ordnance. The equipment will be used to clear areas studded with cluster bombs that were left after the Kosovo War. Italian Colonel De Vicentis stated his satisfaction with the fact that this donation has been realized which opens possibilities for future cooperation between the two ministries, especially in international missions. Italy is the first NATO member state, which has made such a gesture.
*Serbian military will share its pyro-technicians experience with their Italian colleagues.
*Norway helped Serbia to get its CREVAL certificate which confirms that Serbian military medical service is up to the international standard. Serbian Military gave over 800 free medical check-ups to the citizens of the largely Albanian Bujanovac municipality as part of its training for the exercise. Norway has also donated IT medical equipment worth over 40,000 Euro's for a military medical service training center in Niš.
*On 13 February 2009, Defense Agreement has been signed in Belgrade on cooperation in defense and training.
*Slovenia and Serbia have signed an agreement of defense cooperation in April of 2009.
*Serbia has allowed the Slovenian Armed Forces to use a Serbian military academy for its training
*The prime ministers of Slovakia and Serbia have signed an agreement on military cemeteries and memorials. There are two cemeteries where Slovak soldiers are buried in Serbia and Slovakia also has two Serbian military cemeteries.
*Since 2006, Romania and Serbia have conducted over 20 joint land, naval and air force simulations.
*The Serbian Army rescued 500 MIA American soldiers in the Second World War. For this action, Serb , has received the prestigious Legion of Merit medal.
*On July 28, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson flew the Serbian flag with the American flag in front of the White House. This was done in honor of Serbian soldiers in the First World War.
*In a meeting in Belgrade on October 20th, the top two military officers of the United States and Serbia agreed to seek greater cooperation between the two military's. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen and Serbian Chief of Defense General Zdravko Ponos also agreed to continue to work together towards regional stability. The United States is committed to seeing Serbia become both a regional leader and an active, integrated member in Euro-Atlantic institutions. In recent years the US has also lifted its arms embargo on Serbia.
*A co-operational agreement has been signed between Serbia and Ohio. Both sides are looking to improve their armies by exchanging military theory, modernizing standards, exchanging medical support, training in simulation centers and public relations. 15 soldiers from the Serbian Armed Forces participated in the annual demonstration of NGO combat group training. Ohio National Guards' Commander General Gregory Wayt, leading a 40-member delegation visited Serbia in September 2008. They performed military simulation training that improves command, public relations, medicine, air force and special units capabilities of both armies. A total of 21 activities were realized in 2007 which makes the simulation training between Serbia and Ohio as the most successful that the US has engaged in from a total of 56 countries. The simulation training was attended by President Boris Tadic and US Ambassador to Serbia Cameron Munter.
*Serbian military students are attending the "most prestigious US military schools", the US Army War College and the United States Military Academy.
*Defense minister Dragan Šutanovac confirmed that Serbia plans to "Strengthening military relations with Russia". He has stated that "Majority of Serbian arms and equipment are of Russian origin and that it is only natural to choose Russia as foreign support in upgrading of present and buying new weapons."
*Serbia will send more of its officers to be trained in Russia.
*During the war in Kosovo that happened in 1999 a South Ossetian named Albert Andijev came to Kosovo to fight alongside Serbs. Similarly, in 2008, a Serbian enlisted and fought alongside Russian troops in 2008 South Ossetia War.
*Russia will continue mine clearing operations until 2012 as part of humanitarian aid to the country, which was heavily bombed by NATO warplanes in 1999.
*Plan for bilateral military cooperation was signed on February 3rd 2009.
*A group of students of the Turkey's Military Academy came to Serbia for a four-day visit to the Military Academy in Belgrade. This was organized with the aim of enabling the exchange of military experiences. The meeting also marked a start of cooperation between the two military academies with the aim of promoting military education and exchanging of experience.
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