The American Congress stated that Serbia continues to reject “common priorities for the European Union and the US,” preferring to build relations with both Western countries and Russia. This was indicated by Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel in his letter to Admiral James Foggo, commander of the United States Navy in Europe and Africa.
The Democratic Congressman expressed his concern about certain aspects of Foggo’s December interview with European Western Balkans, in which he spoke positively about the cooperation between Serbia and NATO. However, this opinion, according to Engel, is not entirely consistent with the position of the United States.
So, in response to a journalist’s question how to evaluate the interaction between Serbia and the alliance, the admiral replied: “Personally, I see that cooperation is developing, but how deeply and to what extent Serbia wants to develop its cooperation and interaction with NATO depends on the desire Serbia itself. I want to say that ultimately it would be gratifying if Serbia wanted to become a member of NATO. Now there is a partnership between them, Belgrade is happy with that - and wonderful. It suits us too. ”
In this regard, the congressman in his letter, with the text of which he got acquainted with RT, reminded the admiral of the official position of Washington. As Engel emphasized, during the conversation, James Foggo did not indicate "the concern of the United States regarding the buildup of Russian-Serbian security cooperation since 2012."
Thus, according to the parliamentarian, the statements of a high-ranking military officer contradict the provisions of the Pentagon's specialized report previously submitted to Congress. In particular, this document notes that in Serbia "there is an atmosphere of the greatest connivance to Russian influence in the Western Balkans."
The joint Russian-Serbian anti-terrorist exercises SREM-2014 and the military parade held in Belgrade in honor of the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the city, attended by Vladimir Putin, are cited as an example of strengthening security cooperation.
The Pentagon was also dissatisfied with the fact that the Serbian armed forces received several MiG-29 fighters from Russia, ordered a batch of Mi-35 helicopters and Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft systems. It is also noted that in the framework of military-technical assistance, Serbia received from Russia 30 T-72 tanks and 30 BRDM-2 armored vehicles.
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Moreover, according to a Pentagon report to which Engel appeals, Serbia “categorically refuses to join NATO.” Thus, the congressman emphasizes, Belgrade did not adapt its policy to the necessary standards.
“American diplomats have long expressed dissatisfaction with Belgrade’s desire to balance between East and West. Serbia has not brought its foreign policy in line with the EU (common foreign and security policy. - RT ), despite the requirements of the EU accession process, and continues to reject common priorities for the EU and the US, ”the congressman emphasized.
According to him, the road to the European Union is closed for Serbia until Belgrade recognizes Kosovo’s independence and establishes relations with a partially recognized republic. Probably, Serbia’s joining NATO should not be expected soon, Engel adds.
Against this background, Serbian President Alexander Vučić said last week that he was already "fed up" with the fact that he was constantly trying to "lecture" on his country's cooperation with Russia or China.
Pavel Salin, director of the Center for Political Science Research at the University of Finance, said in a conversation with RT that Washington is unhappy with Belgrade’s multi-vector policy, which focuses not only on the United States.
“Serbia is trying to pursue a multi-vector policy, despite the widespread cliche about the pro-Russian orientation of the Serbian authorities. And the American representatives are trying in their line to reorient Serbia in military-political cooperation to the United States, ”the expert emphasized.
According to him, the United States also wants to achieve a smooth transition of Serbia to NATO arms standards in order to ensure the republic’s infrastructure dependence on further purchases.
Under sanction pressure
It is worth recalling that Washington has repeatedly opposed the acquisition by Belgrade of Russian technology. In particular, according to Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, the Serbian authorities decided to purchase the Russian Pantsir-C1 anti-aircraft missile and gun systems under sanctioned pressure.
“We learned that the Americans want to expose them to sanctions for the supplies of Shells, but they confirmed that the events of 1999 taught them how to protect themselves,” Borisov said in December 2019.
The US Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, had previously warned of the risk of sanctions in the case of the purchase of Russian weapons. “We hope that our Serbian partners will be careful about any such transactions,” he said.
- US Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer and President of Serbia Alexander Vučić at a conference in Belgrade
- © Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP
Meanwhile, as the head of Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheev announced in November 2019, Moscow plans to supply Belgrade with the Pantsir-C1 air defense missile system in accordance with the concluded contract.
“Everything is on time, there are no disruptions. In the near future training ends, the Russian side begins to supply. The contract will be completed in the coming months, ”he said.
In turn, the Minister of Defense of Serbia, Alexander Vulin, recently accused European politicians of hypocrisy and the use of double standards where it comes to cooperation with Russia and China. Thus, he responded to a statement by the head of the Bundestag Committee on European Affairs, Gunter Krihbaum, who noted that the candidate for EU membership “cannot consider Russia as a full and equal EU partner.”
As Vladimir Olenchenko, a senior fellow at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS, noted in an interview with RT, the United States refuses to recognize that Serbia is an independent state and try to impose its foreign policy guidelines on it.
“The USA has its own foreign policy guidelines that they set for themselves. One of them is the struggle against Russia, as they claim, with Russian influence in various parts of the world, although all countries have the right to a multi-vector policy, and not just to pro-American. There are many politicians in the USA who believe that states should only be pro-American, and therefore the Belgrade’s course worries them, ”he stressed.
In particular, according to the expert, in Washington they would like the world arms market to be completely in their possession, but the Russian arms are in serious competition with American arms.
Reflect US Concern
We add that at the end of his letter, Eliot Engel calls on Admiral James Foggo to continue to make more balanced statements, reflecting Washington's "concern" with Serbian foreign policy.
“I strongly recommend that when commenting on Serbia in the future, more carefully weigh their statements so that they accurately reflect the concerns of the United States regarding the course of Belgrade and its alarming relations with Moscow,” the congressman emphasizes.
According to Vladimir Olenchenko, in this case, an influential parliamentarian requires the commander of the U.S. Navy in Europe and Africa to continue pressure on Serbia, delegating to him the role of conductor of American politics. In addition, the interlocutor of RT believes that the statements about the complexity of the impending Belgrade route to the European Union and NATO are due to the fact that Washington is unable to impose its position on Serbia.
“They in a veiled form make it clear that they do not do it the way they would like, so they found such an expression that Serbia has a long way to go to the alliance and the EU. But this in veiled form means "a long way to rapprochement with the United States," if translated into American, "the expert concluded.