April 5, 2006
Embassy of the United States of America
Belgrade

Ambassador Polt Hails the Signing of a Bilateral Agreement to Prevent the Proliferation
of Weapons of Mass Destruction

At a ceremony at the Federal Palace today, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, Michael C. Polt, and Minister of Defense Stankovic signed a bilateral agreement to cooperate to stop the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Below is the text of Ambassador Polt's speech:

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.

President Marovic, President Tadic, and Deputy Prime Minister Labus, your presence here, together with Minister Stankovic, is an important signal of the value you place on Serbia and Montenegro's relationship with the United States. We know that you are making great efforts to expand this relationship, regardless of the political uncertainties facing your country. Let me in turn assure you that you can count on the support of the United States of America as you continue to fight for common values and a common vision toward full integration in the Euro-Atlantic Community.

A new security relationship between Serbia and Montenegro and the United States is starting to take shape. This agreement we have just signed seals our common commitment to fighting the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

We aim to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related technology through a program of cooperative training and assistance that will improve the abilities of border officials to identify and intercept those technologies.

In doing so, this agreement will promote stronger relationships between our military and other border control agencies and will encourage regular meetings between senior and mid-level military officials, visits and exchanges, and other bilateral contacts.

There will also be immediate, tangible benefits to Serbia and Montenegro. We have over $800,000 worth of specialized detection equipment and training ready to deliver to both Serbian and Montenegrin border authorities - over $400,000 for each republic.

But in the end, today's event means even more. It is a sign of America's commitment to Serbia and Montenegro, and our desire to expand and strengthen our bilateral relationship. And it is just one of the many steps we hope to take with Serbia and Montenegro in the near future to strengthen our security ties.

As soon as you are ready, we want to conclude a Status of Forces Agreement. This will enable us to begin a State Partnership Program between the Ohio National Guard and the Serbia and Montenegro Armed Forces, allowing members of our military to work side-by-side with yours in training and exercises.

We are also ready to sign a broader Security Cooperation Agreement, which will make available potentially millions of dollars annually for military education, training, and financing to help further Serbia and Montenegro's Defense Reform efforts.

As you can see, we are eager to move ahead. I look forward to the next signing event.

Thank you.

Ambassador Polt and Minister Stankovic Sign the WMD Agreement

5. april, 2006
Ambasada Sjedinjenih Američkih Država
Beograd

Ambasador Polt pozdravlja potpisivanje bilateralnog sporazuma o sprečavanju širenja oružja za masovno uništenje

Na ceremoniji danas u Palati Federacije, Ambasador SAD u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori, Majkl K. Polt, i Ministar odbrane, Zoran Stanković, potpisali su bilateralni sporazum o saradnji na zaustavljanju širenja oružja za masovno uništenje. Sledi tekst govora Ambasadora Polta:

Dobar dan dame i gospodo,

Predsedniče Marović, predsedniče Tadić i potpredsedniče Labus, vaše prisustvo danas ovde zajedno sa ministrom Stankovićem šalje bitan signal o tome koliko važnosti pridajete odnosu Srbije i Crne Gore sa Sjedinjenim Državama. Znamo da ulažete velike napore kako biste unapredili ovaj odnos bez obzira na političke dileme sa kojima je suočena vaša zemlja. Dozvolite mi da vas zauzvrat uverim da možete računati na podršku Sjedinjenih Američkih Država u borbi za zajedničke vrednosti i zajedničku viziju ka potpunoj integraciji u evroatlanske institucije.

Novi bezbednosni odnosi počinju da se oblikuju između Srbije i Crne Gore i Sjedinjenih Država. Sporazum koji smo upravo potpisali stavlja pečat na našu zajedničku opredeljenost da se borimo protiv širenja oružja za masovno uništenje.

Želimo da se borimo protiv širenja oružja za masovno uništenje i slične tehnologije putem programa zajedničke obuke i pomoći kako bi se poboljšale sposobnosti službenika na granicama da prepoznaju i otkriju ovakvu tehnologiju.

Postupajući na ovaj način, ovaj sporazum će promovisati jače veze između naših vojnih i drugih kontrolnih službi na granicama i pomagaće u organizovanju redovnih sastanaka između visokih i nižih vojnih oficira, te u organizovanju poseta i razmena kao i drugih bilateralnih kontakata.

Srbija i Crna Gora će odmah osetiti opipljive prednosti ovakvog odnosa. Na raspolaganju nam je više od 800.000 dolara vredna specijalna oprema za detekciju oružja za masovno uništenje i ovaj novac treba da se uruči službama na granicama obe republike - više od 400.000 dolara za svaku republiku.

Na kraju, današnji događaj ima i dublje značenje. On je znak naše posvećenosti Srbiji i Crnoj Gori i naše želje da proširimo i osnažimo naš bilaterlani odnos. Ovo je samo jedan od mnogih koraka koje ćemo, nadamo se, preduzeti zajedno sa Srbijom i Crnom Gorom u bliskoj budućnosti kako bismo još više ojačali naše bezbednosne odnose.

Onog trenutka kada vi za to budete spremni, mi želimo da zaključimo i Sporazum o statusu snaga. To će nam pomoći da započnemo međudržavni program saradnje između Nacionalne garde Ohaja i vojnih snaga Srbije i Crne Gore u okviru kojeg će i naši i vaši vojnici učestvovati u vežbama i obuci.

Spremni smo da potpišemo i Sporazum o bezbednosnoj saradnji koji predviđa milione dolara godišnje za vojne seminare i obuku, kao i finansijsku pomoć daljim reformama sistema odbrane Srbije i Crne Gore.

Kao što vidite, s nestrpljenjem želimo da krenemo napred. Unapred se radujem sledećoj ceremoniji potpisivanja sličnih sporazuma.

Hvala vam.

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