Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Đurić stated for RTS that the decision to launch a strategic dialogue between Serbia and the United States of America is one of the most significant pieces of news in the relations between the two countries in the last few years.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Đurić stated that the decision to launch a strategic dialogue between Serbia and the United States of America is one of the most significant pieces of news in the relations between the two countries in the last few years.
As he stated, the decision to start a strategic dialogue was made in Washington, and the first session will be held on Friday.
“For the first time in history, Serbia and the United States of America are raising relations to the level of a strategic partnership,” Đurić said.
According to him, the decision of President Donald Trump’s administration represents a strong political signal not only to Serbia and its institutions, but also to the American public and state institutions.
Result of several years of diplomatic work
Đurić assessed that the launch of the strategic dialogue is the result of several years of diplomatic work.
“This is something we have worked on for many years, something that in a professional sense is one of the serious achievements for all our diplomats who fought for it,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
He thanked the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, for his support in this process.
“President Vučić has supported our efforts to improve relations with the US for years, and I am very happy and satisfied that I can announce this today,” Đurić said.
The Minister announced that at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he is traveling to Washington, where he will participate in the summit on Thursday, while the first session of the strategic dialogue will take place on Friday.
“What is happening on Friday is truly diplomatic and, I would say, political history in the relations between Serbia and the US,” Đurić emphasized.
According to his assessment, the establishment of the strategic dialogue will also have positive effects on economic cooperation, Serbia’s international position, and the lives of citizens.
“I think that the economy, the citizens, and the international position and reputation of Serbia will be additionally strengthened by this,” said the line minister.
Explaining the significance of the new framework of cooperation, Đurić stated that the strategic dialogue places Serbia in the circle of countries with which Washington has the highest level of institutional cooperation.
“That is literally, if we were to make a parallel between relations with the European Union and the United States of America, the American cluster for Serbia. That is putting Serbia into a completely different drawer,” Đurić pointed out.
Highest level of institutional cooperation with the US
Speaking about the importance of establishing a strategic dialogue, Đurić assessed that Serbia is entering the circle of countries with which the US has the highest level of institutional cooperation.
“Today, Serbia is coming into a situation in which even Yugoslavia was not, to be officially recognized as one of the strategic partners of the US,” Đurić pointed out, emphasizing that this is a “Serbian national interest.”
According to him, such a status is also important due to key state and national issues, primarily Kosovo and Metohija, Republika Srpska, as well as the preservation of Serbia’s internal stability.
“It is also important to us because of KiM, where we rely on the protection of our people, and for Republika Srpska, where last year we had a serious understanding from President Trump’s administration for resolving problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” the interlocutor stated.
Đurić assessed that the new level of relations with Washington could have significant economic effects because, as he stated, it represents a strong signal to foreign investors.
“Hungary made a quantum leap in its economy when it received the status of a strategic partner, so numerous American financial institutions, technological and other companies began to use Budapest for operations towards Europe,” Đurić said.
“Serbia fulfilled necessary obligations for opening Cluster 3”
Reflecting on European integration, Đurić said that Serbia has fulfilled the obligations necessary for opening Cluster 3 and that the European Commission has supported that step for years.
He reminded that the National Assembly adopted a large number of laws within the reform process, and that the President of Serbia has had numerous meetings with European leaders in recent weeks.
“Last night in Paris, we saw an image that can truly fill us all with pride – that our president was the only leader of a European country that is not a member of NATO, nor the European Union, nor that coalition of the willing, who was invited as a guest of honor,” Đurić said, assessing that this is a recognition of Serbia’s position in Europe.
When asked whether he expects the opening of Cluster 3, the minister said that Serbia has done everything that depended on it.
“As Njegoš would say: ‘Hope has no right to cripple its own hands.’ What we can say is that we have done, I think, everything that is up to us,” Đurić stated.
Speaking about the serious traffic accident in Montenegro, in which citizens of Serbia were killed and injured, he expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased person and thanked the Montenegrin services for their quick reaction.
“The workers of the Clinical-Hospital Center ‘Podgorica’, as well as rescuers from Kotor, Tivat, and that region, did everything and performed their job in an outstanding manner,” the minister pointed out, emphasizing that the Embassy of Serbia and the consulate were in constant contact with the families of the injured and provided them with the necessary assistance.
Commenting on the visit of the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, to Bujanovac, Đurić said that it was realized in accordance with the laws of Serbia, with respect for all protocols and the presence of members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to his words, developing relations with Tirana is in the interest of Serbia, and criticisms of that visit should also be viewed in a broader political context.
“The visit of the President of Albania is a normal bilateral activity of a head of a neighboring state who recognizes and respects the status of Preševo, Bujanovac, and Medveđa as part of our country,” Đurić emphasized.
He pointed out that Serbia strives to build better relations with Albania, despite differing positions on Kosovo and Metohija, and that it continues to respect the rights of the Albanian national community in Serbia.
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Source: RTS; Photo: N1
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