December 9, 2005

WASHINGTON - Zoran Stankovic, Ph.D., the Serbia-Montenegro (SaM) Defense Minister met with leaders from the Serbian Unity Congress on December 9^th, 2005.  The United States hosted 13 Southeast European nations to discuss border security, peacekeeping and regional defense industry exchange and technology sharing.  The Defense Minister said during his working visit that he discussed Euro-Atlantic integration and exchanges with the Ohio National Guard with United States officials. During his visit to U.S. Minister Stankovic met with the U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and top ranking officers of the U.S. General Staff and representatives of the U.S. Army National Guard.  Rumsfeld, who hosted the conference with Southeast European defense ministers, reportedly praised all the ministers for their increased cooperation in fighting terrorism.

 

Following the conference with the defense ministers, Minister Stankovic wished to address the Serb Diaspora at the SaM Embassy.  The meeting included Minister Stankovic, Zdravko Ponos, Deputy Chief of General Staff, Zoran Jeftic, Assistant Minister, Nebojsa Cagorovic, Minister Counselor, Deputy Chief of Mission, Bozin Nikolic, Minister Counselor, Consular Affairs, Colonel Branislav Anocic, Defense, Military, Naval and Air Attaché, and Marko Zivkovic, Association of Young Serbian Professionals of Washington, DC.  Representing the SUC was Jasmina Boulanger, (SUC President), Miroslava Jovanovic (SUC VP Washington Affairs), and Andy Verich (SUC Washington Director).  During the meeting the minister discussed the status of SaM’s outdated military laws.  The ministry officials indicated that military service reforms will decrease the length of service required from 1 year to 9 months then to 6 months.  It was also mentioned that there is an option available for to meet the service requirements through the Civilian Service.  It was also mentioned that for persons who are out of compliance with current laws, there is a plan for a general amnesty.  Stankovic used the Vlade Divac example as an example of how things should not be done because the old laws could still be used.   It was recently reported that Vlade Divac failed to report to duty for mandatory conscription in the Yugoslav Armed Forces.