Serbian Defence Minster Dragan Sutanovac stated on Tuesday that Serbia expects to get the official letter from High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton as regards membership in the European Defence Agency (EDA), to which the Ministry would provide a positive response.

EDA membership will be Serbia's first step toward the EU system and the Defence Ministry is especially proud of this, Sutanovac told reporters after visiting the Knjaz Mihajlo barracks in Nis, southern Serbia.

Serbia's membership in EDA is important for further development and research in the area of defence industry and the country's aim is for the industry to produce even more advanced goods, Sutanovac said.

He underscored that over the past few years, Serbia increased the export of armament and military equipment, noting that the country reached record-breaking import worth USD 250 million.

Sutanovac noted that Serbia is expected to join new markets for export of armaments and military equipment as of spring and summer 2012.