NATO says it respects Serbia’s right to choose partners (Beta, N1)
NATO fully respects the sovereign right of all states, including Serbia, to choose their own political and security arrangements, the Alliance said on Monday in a reply to Radio Free Europe on the Russian donation of armored vehicles to the Serbian armed forces.
The NATO statement said that RFE should ask official Bucharest about the decision to block the transport of those vehicles via the Danube through Romania.
NATO has partnership relations with Serbia, the statement said and recalled the civilian emergency services disaster exercise with NATO partner countries. It added that the Alliance has invested millions of Euros to help Serbia destroy more than 200 tons of munitions and has worked with it to train Iraqi medical staff.
Ten of the 30 armored scout vehicles that Serbia got from Russia were displayed in the southern city of Nis on Monday.