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Defense minister says Serbia plans to obtain observer status in post-Soviet military bloc

BELGRADE, June 14. /TASS/. Belgrade plans to increase its level of participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the near future, obtaining observer status, Serbian Defense Minister Zoran Djordjevic said during the Slavic Brotherhood-2017 drills taking place at the Brestsky shooting range in Belarus.

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"Improving our army’s capabilities is the main goal of the Defense Ministry," he said. "Increased participation in the activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization will be one of the steps in this direction, so in the near future we plan to obtain observer status," the Serbian government’s press service quoted the minister as saying.

On Wednesday, Djordjevic attended the final stage of the drills involving Russia’s airborne units, Belarusian and Serbian special forces, as well as the reception given by Belarusian Defense Minister Andrei Ravkov. During his stay in the city of Brest, the Serbian minister visited the Brest Hero-Fortress Memorial Complex, laying flowers in memory of the defenders of the fortress.

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