Bystanders atop a multi-story parking garage at the Brussels airport were stunned by the actions of Branislav Milinkovic on Tuesday night. Milinkovic, Serbia's ambassador to NATO, casually walked over to the edge of the building, climbed over and plunged to his death.

Just prior to the unexpected and abrupt incident, Milinkovic had bee talking and making light with colleagues. It is unknown what prompted Milinkovic’s actions. People who knew the ambassador never saw any signs that he was going to carry out a suicide and said that he didn’t appear outwardly distraught and seemed to be going about his regular business. Milinkovic was at the airport to pick up six of his country’s officials who were arriving in Brussels to attend the NATO meeting being held there.

Although the police are investigating the incident, the act was obviously a suicide. No motives or causes were apparent however.

“NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he was deeply saddened by the tragic death of the Serbian ambassador,” alliance spokeswoman Carmen Romero said. “Milinkovic was a highly respected representative of his country and will be missed at NATO headquarters.”

Milinkovc has been Serbia’s special representative since 2004, and even though Serbia is not a member of the military alliance, it is a part of NATO’s Partnership for Peacce Program. Milinkovic was named ambassador after Belgrade joined that program. The Serbian Nationalists now in power in the ambassador’s country say that they will never join NATO, this because of that organization’s bombing campaign that forced their forces to withdraw and abandon Kosovo in 1999.

According to fellow diplomats and acquaintances, Milinkovic had a warm sense of humor and constantly worked to keep good ties with ambassadors from former Yugoslavia.