Tomic: Ohio delegation visit confirms deepening of excellent Serbia-US relations

Dusko Tomic, a professor at the University of Security and Global Studies at the American University in the United Arab Emirates, said for Kosovo Online that the visit of the Ohio delegation was just one in a series of steps in deepening the excellent relations that Serbia and the US had been fostering recently.

Tomic explains that the United States intends for its National Guard to collaborate with other countries, and as such, Ohio is collaborating with Serbia.

"Ohio is known for being home to all major military complexes. The Ohio National Guard is one of the highest-quality internal military forces in the US, with a clearly defined role in the overall security system," Tomic says.

Regarding the potential implications of the discussions that the Ohio delegation had in Belgrade with the highest Serbian officials regarding Kosovo, Tomic emphasizes that Kosovo-related matters are fundamentally tied to relations with the State Department and the White House. He is not surprised by Major General John Harris, the commander of the Ohio National Guard, stating in Belgrade that he considers General Milan Mojsilovic, the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, his friend.

"Mojsilovic is our promising general who has served in the representation of the Republic of Serbia within NATO command. He hails from Kosovo and Metohija and is an exceptional expert in military doctrine and strategy. He has excellent cooperation with all NATO members, of course, and with other countries close to us and with whom we cooperate. He particularly has excellent cooperation with members of the US military, from General Hodges onwards, and it's no wonder that everyone mentions having very good cooperation with him because he is a very sharp and intelligent officer. Mojsilovic knows how to handle situations, especially in relations with KFOR," Tomic notes.

Major General John Harris pointed out in Belgrade yesterday that tireless efforts were being made to strengthen mutual relations with Serbia. He stated that for 18 years, the Ohio National Guard and the Serbian Armed Forces had been participating in security cooperation activities within the State Partnership Program, including visits and exchanges, military training and exercises, information exchange, cooperation in disaster preparedness, and professional development.