Minister Banožić with UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace
I am convinced that the Agreement on Strategic Partnership will be mutually beneficial and will contribute to strengthening the defence and security capabilities of the Republic of Croatia, says Minister Banožić
On Tuesday, February 1, 2022, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Croatia Mario Banožić met with the UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace.
The defence ministers discussed the current security situation in the Eastern and Southeast Europe, and signed the Agreement on Strategic Partnership, which will continue to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries.
“We fully understand the situation in Ukraine, especially because we look at it as a country whose experiences of the Homeland War are still fresh. That is why it is necessary to find a diplomatic solution”, Banožić points out.
Minister Banožić informed Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace about the current security situation in the region of Southeast Europe, to which the United Kingdom also pays particular attention in terms of security.
“We agreed on the importance of continuing the dialogue, continuing the reform processes, as well as further integration of the Western Balkan countries into the EU and NATO. “Everything is in accordance with their sovereign decisions and with the fulfilment of defined criteria”, continues Banožić.
In the context of bilateral defence cooperation, Banožić pointed out that Great Britain is one of the Croatia’s strategic partners in the field of defence.
It was my pleasure and honour to sign the Agreement on Strategic Partnership. This will further strengthen our bilateral defence relations. The Agreement also envisages annual monitoring of its implementation. I am convinced that the Agreement will be mutually beneficial and will contribute to strengthening the defence and security capabilities of the Republic of Croatia”, concludes Croatian Minister of Defence.
The Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, thanked Minister Banožić for the invitation and cooperation, emphasizing that the signing the Agreement on Strategic Partnership will intensify cooperation between the two ministries.
“I believe that we can achieve a lot together in the development of our armed forces, through joint training and exercises, and by participating in peacekeeping missions and operations,” said State Secretary of Defence Wallace. Referring to the topics of the meeting, Defence Secretary Wallace said that regarding the situation in Ukraine, he shared the same viewpoint on the need to further discuss the situation and that both Croatia and Great Britain remain side by side in supporting sovereign countries to choose their own future and make their decisions of whether they would join NATO or any other alliance or not.
He also referred to the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying that the United Kingdom had agreed to support the European Union and the United States in maintaining stability and resolving all open issues in BiH.
The signed Agreement defines four areas of cooperation: 1) NATO cooperation in further strengthening the cohesion and credibility of the Alliance, 2) the Western Balkans – joint work and joint responsibility for security and stability of the Western Balkans, 3) dealing with hybrid threats and 4) interoperability of our forces through exercises and training, bilaterally and within NATO.
