SERBIA and EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION

BrankoLazic, The Atlantic Council of Serbia 16th YATA General Assembly Tirana, 14 November 2011 SERBIA and EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION

European and Atlantic Integration • Divided process in the case of Serbia? • Relatively low support for the Euro-Atlantic integration • Support to the EU membership: 59,3% (June, 2011) • Support to the NATO membership: 15,6% (69,4% against NATO membership) • Support to the military neutrality: 64,8% • Referendum on NATO membership? • Referendum on the MILITARY NEUTRALITY?! • Emotional or rational approach? • Statesmanship policy?

Serbia and the European Union • July 2001 – the “Consultative Task Force’’ • October 2003 – the “Enhanced Permanent Dialogue” • April 2005 – Feasibility Study - a positive assessment received • 3 May 2006 –negotiations called-off. • 13 June 2007 – The SAA negotiations continued

Serbia and the European Union • 7 November 2007 – the SAA ratified • 29 April 2008 – The SAA signed • 1 January 2009 – Serbia unilateraly implements the Interim Trade Agreement • 7 December 2009 – The EU adopts the decision on initiating the implementation of the ITA • 19 December 2009 – the visa-free regime with the EU came into force.

Serbia and the European Union • 22 December 2009 - Serbia submits its application for the EU membership. • 1 February 2010 - The ITA came into force. • 12 October 2011 - European Commission recommended that Serbia be given the status of candidate for membership in the EU

Political obstacles on the Serbia’s road towards NATO • Public opinion • NATO bombing in 1999 • KFOR’s role? • The ICTY • Daily politics theme • The unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence • Kosovo’s recognition • NATO perceived as an independent actor in international relations

Serbia and NATO • From the conflict to the cooperation • Lack of political will to integrate Serbia in NATO structures • Division between political parties • Partnership for Peace accession in 2006 • Exchange of knowledge and experience • Common enemies

Serbia and NATO • TheTransit Agreement with NATO , July 2005 • NATO Military Liaison Office in Belgrade. Established in December 2006 • Serbia-NATO DefenceReform Group (DRG). established in February 2006 • Serbia also joined the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) in 2007.

Serbia and NATO • NATO’s Secretary General in his speech on 29 June 2011 stated that “Serbia’s future lies in peaceful cooperation with its neighbors and with the European Union and NATO. […] We have made good progress these past few years in developing a sound basis for partnership and cooperation. It is now up to Serbia to decide if it wants to move forwards in its cooperation with NATO, and how fast.” • A broad and effective communications strategy is an important aspect of the PfPcooperation.

Serbia and NATO • Arguments in favor of Serbia’s NATO membership • Neighbor countries are in NATO • Serbia is member of the PfP • NATO membership will fastenEU integration • Lower defense costs • Rise of foreign investments • Arguments against Serbia’s NATO membership • No guarantees that NATO membership will fasten EU integration • NATO bombed Serbia • PfPas a sufficientframework • Serbia will lose its sovereignty • Serbia never belonged to Military Alliances • High financial costs of military missions abroad • High financial costs of NATO membership

SERBIA in the PfP • Belgrade formally applied to join the Partnership for Peace in 2003 • Serbia joined PfP in December 2006 • Boris Tadic, President of Serbia: Today we have three more countries in the program. Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina, Western Balkans. I would like to see at the end of this process all Balkan countries in the NATO, fully integrated in the system of the NATO. That means we are going to bring values of the NATO, of the European Union, in our region. • Individual Partnership Action Plan development • Serbia’s intention to become an active participant

SERBIA in the PfP • Serbia’s first Individual Partnership Programme(2009) • In April 2011, The North Atlantic Council approved Serbia’s request to undertake an Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO. • Serbia’s IPAP does not envision its membership in the NATO(excludes the possibility of Serbia’s participation in Membership Action Plan)

Strategic Military Partnership Conference • Hosted by Serbia, June 2011 • overarching theme : “Post Lisbon: Delivering Transformation” • chaired by Supreme Allied Commander Transformation • Chiefs of Defencestaff or their representatives from approximately 60 countries. • the Chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, Admiral Di Paola, on an official visit, June 15, 2011

REFORM OF THE SERBIAN ARMED FORCES • Defenceand security sector reforms • Transformation toward efficient and operative Army • Transparent democratic control over the armed forces • MrDraganŠutanovac, Minister of Defence of Serbia to the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in Defence Ministers Session, June 2007: In the broader multilateral context, we are on the way to participating in NATO-led peacekeeping operations, particularly ISAF in Afghanistan, with certain capabilities such as Medical Teams.

REFORM OF THE SERBIAN ARMED FORCES • Women in SAF (around 8%) • 30.000 troops • Professional soldiers (90%) • Serbia abolished conscription on January 1, 2011 • Cooperation with The Ohio National Guard

New symbols of the SERBIAN ARMED FORCES

SERBIAN ARMED FORCES Reform • Achieving effective interoperability with NATO. • Serbia expresses its readiness to accept its part of responsibility for maintaining permanent peace and stability in the region, to participate in UN mandated peace missions in order to reach the level of interoperability of NATO member states’ armies.

SERBIAN ARMED FORCES ABROAD

Military neutrality of Serbia • Self-declared act of the Serbian Parliamentin 2007 • Policy of military neutrality respected by NATO

SERBIA and NATO: Perspectives? NATO as a pre-condition for the Serbian EU membership?

THANK YOU!

SERBIA and EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATION