Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) Process Concludes Conference

The SEDM Process concluded its annual Conference of Defense Ministers with a joint statement in which the Defense Ministers expressed satisfaction that SEDM projects to date are contributing to building cooperation and security in the region. The Ministers, which included Montenegro and Serbia as full members for the first time, were in agreement that excessive stockpiles of weapons were detrimental to the security of the region and that the countries should work in cooperation to reduce the excess munitions and weapons. They also declared that duplication of efforts should be avoided.