BBC: After 20 years, is Serbia's reconciliation with NATO possible

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has told the BBC, as Belgrade media convey, that he is feeling that for Serbia it is time to examine negative emotions towards NATO, Koha.net broadcasts.

I think this is all due to emotional issues mainly because of 1999 and Kosovo. There's one thing we need to work on and something we need to work on in the future. I think after a while we have to put things on the rational basis. And that's gonna happen”, Vuciq was quoted as saying.

Remembering that the anthem of NATO is often heard in Serbia, the BBC mentions that anthems during this week have been echoed in Mladenov because Serbia has for the first time been host to major NATO-led exercises, but emphasises that Serbs have not forgotten NATO <x0->actions in 1999.

The other former Yugoslavia countries have probably joined NATO, but public opinion in Serbia in addition strongly opposes this”, it says.

BBC notes Vuciq, Secretary General NATO Jens Stoltenberg stood still until the anthem was intoned until there was an image behind them with the Serbian flag tied to that of NATO, so it is thought that this “scene could be a shock to those loyal allies thinking Moscow”.

It adds that Serbia now and for a long time leads military neutrality policy and that its soldiers regularly participate in NATO and Russian exercises.

Remembered Secretary General NATO Jens Stoltenberg has said partnership with Serbia has become even more important, but stresses that it is question whether Serbia is willing to accept closer relations with NATO

Adds that long walk through Belgrade, where walls are laid against NATO, memories of the bombings are compounded, and that the exercises of Serbia and NATO to Sauturing the consequences of extraordinary situations still cannot be taken as a rule-of-the-art change.