Reports: President Tadic to end defence rift on Monday

Dec 27, 2008, 8:32 GMT

Belgrade - Serbian president Boris Tadic has called for the National Security Council to meet Monday to discuss the public rift between Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac and Chief of General Staff Zdravko Ponos.

'Because of their disagreement in public, each of them has a responsibility and I will analyse and propose measures all in line with my powers,' Tadic told Vecernje Novosti daily on Saturday.

The conflict began when Ponos ordered generals not to attend Sutanovac's New Year reception and later when he accused the Defence Ministry of incompetence.

Tadic, who as president and commander-in-chief has limited formal powers but huge authority, is expected to sack one of the feuding men.

The Serbian military has been deteriorating since the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s and remains plagued by a shortage of money, corruption and a hopelessly outdated doctrine.

Serbia joined NATO's Partnership for Peace programme two years ago but stopped any progress towards NATO membership when the West supported the breakaway province of Kosovo's independence.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February and was recognized by more than 50 countries, including most of the European Union and the United States.