Serbian Chief of General Staff tells OSCE Armed Forces completed most important phase of transformation

VIENNA, 11 July 2007 - Serbia has successfully completed the first phase of transforming its armed forces and now faces new challenges, Lieutenant-General Zdravko Ponos, Chief of General Staff of the Army of the Republic of Serbia, said at the OSCE today.

"Probably the most important and first phase of defence transformation has been completed successfully in the timeframe of 13 months," the general told journalists after briefing a joint meeting of the OSCE's Permanent Council and Forum for Security Co-operation on how the forces have been transformed over the past year, ending 30 June.

"Now we are facing some new challenges - modernization, social reform and professionalisation of the armed forces," he said.

General Ponos said he hoped Serbia's experience could serve as an example for other countries seeking to restructure their defence forces.

He told OSCE diplomats the aim of the transformation had been to establish more balanced and efficient armed forces. The operational component of the armed forces has been increased while command and logistics elements have been scaled back. There are now three headquarters instead of seven - Army, Air Force and Air Defence and Training.

The Permanent Council is the OSCE's main regular decision-making body, while the Forum for Security Co-operation deals with arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, and contributes to the fight against terrorism and non-proliferation.