Belgrade daily: Proposal to pull out of peace operations to Foreign Ministry

Luka Stanzl/PIXSELL

Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti said on Wednesday that the Defense Ministry sent the Foreign Ministry a proposal to withdraw all Serbian military personnel from European Union peace operations.

The daily was told unofficially that the proposal was sent to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday morning. It added on its web site that the government can’t discuss the possible withdrawal of Serbian military personnel from peace missions before the Foreign Ministry gives its opinion.  

Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin said on September 11 that a final decision has to be taken on peace missions. Speaking after the Serbian authorities decided to pull out of military games in Belarus in line with EU policy, Vulin said that if internal military activities are being discontinued, the same should be done with peace mission personnel regardless of whether they are under UN or EU command, adding that the military will implement any government decision. He told a promotion ceremony later that the military had discontinued its engagement on some 200 international military cooperation activities.