Indonesia "maintains principled stand on Kosovo"

Belgrade ☆ Serbia is grateful to Indonesia for the principled support to its efforts to protect legitimate interests over the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

This is what Serbian Defense Minister Nebojša Rodić told Indonesian Ambassador in Serbia Samuel Samson as they met in Belgrade.

During the meeting, the officials said that Serbia's EU membership was "the country's main goal in terms of foreign policy but it will not affect Serbia's wish to realize cooperation with friendly countries in the East and the West on grounds of partnership and respect," the Defense Ministry said.

The two countries' cooperation is based on mutual respect ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1954, which later developed further through the exceptionally positive cooperation within the Non-Aligned Movement up to this day, said a statement.

The officials agreed that the two countries' relations have improved considerably as supported by the recently concluded Tourism Fair hosted by Serbia and Indonesia together.

During the meeting, Rodić and Samson said that cooperation in the defense sector can be further improved, especially since the Agreement on cooperation in the defense sector signed in September 2011 has created the legal framework and conditions for development and intensification of cooperation.

The focus of cooperation in the defense sector will be realized through enhancement of military-medical, military-educational and military-economic cooperation, as well as the cooperation in the fight against terrorism and exchange of experience on participation in peacekeeping missions.

  ♞ B92