*WASJINGTON – A US envoy has expressed concern about Serbian interest inRussian air defence systems, warning Belgrade to be “careful and cautious”about buying them, in comments to North Macedonia television.*
“We do of course have concerns not just about the deployment of Russianmilitary equipment on the territory of Serbia, but the possibility ofSerbia acquiring significant Russian military systems,” US special envoyMatthew Palmer told the Elsat television channel, in an interview thataired late Friday.
Palmer was referring to the deployment last week of a Russian S-400 missilesystem and a Pantsir anti-aircraft gun and missile system to Serbia for theSlavic Shield-2019 defence exercises.
It was the first time the two weapons systems had undergone military drillsoutside Russia, according to the Russian defence ministry.
They have been used in Syria and Turkey has purchased the S-400 systemdespite strong opposition from NATO partners.
The two weapons provide a multi-layered air defence network considered bymany to be among the best in the world.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said his country would like to acquirethe weapons, but that “the only way would be if Russia left them with us.Otherwise we do not have the means to procure them.”
Palmer, US special representative for the Western Balkans, told the Elsat:“We hope our Serbian partners will be careful and cautious about any suchtransactions.”
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US military ties with Serbia were more significant than Russia-Serbianrelations, he argued.
“We have a strong military partnership with Serbia, I think in fact,arguably Serbia’s best military partner is the United States.
“We think it is more significant than anything the Russians do withBelgrade,” the US envoy added.
“We will be careful, of course, because I don’t want Serbia to be exposedto sanctions from the greatest world power, independent of the fact thatthey would be entirely unjustified and unfair,” said Vucic in response,according to local media reports.
Serbia has historically close ties with Russia, which has provided backingover the delicate question of Kosovo, a former Serb province, and whichshares a common Orthodox Christian faith.
Moscow was not pleased when Montenegro, which like Serbia is a formerYugoslav republic, joined NATO in 2017, and is keen to maintain influencein the region. -APP/AFP
