Status of Forces Agreement

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President Boris Tadic signed the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) on September 7, 2006. The SOFA is a formal administrative agreement between the U.S. and Serbia that defines the legal status of military personnel and property temporarily in Serbia. It sets forth rights and responsibilities on such matters as criminal and civil jurisdiction and tax and customs issues, and allows for the planning for and conduct of bilateral military activities, including joint exercises, ship visits, and personnel exchanges. It is not a basing agreement.

Benefits:

• Signals to the international community, and to the business community, that SaM is serious about Euro-Atlantic integration and is moving toward greater political stability.

• It is the key to increasing joint military activities with the U.S., including:

o State Partnership Program (SPP)
o Joint military exercises
o Military unit exchanges
o Hosting of military training and education teams
o Foreign military financing and sales of equipment to modernize the SaM military

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