PM meets with incoming chief of UN General Assembly

BELGRADE PM Ivica Dacic on Tuesday in Belgrade met with Serbia's former Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who is about to take over as president of the UN General Assembly. Dacic said on the occasion that it was in Serbia's interest for Jeremic's one-year presidency to be successful, that he would receive "full logistical support" from the new government, and that everyone should work together to improve Serbia's image. PM meets with incoming chief of UN General Assembly He added that "regardless of the person presiding", it was "an honor and reason to be proud for any country to hold such an office". "Internal political reasons must not do damage to Serbia's interests," noted the premier, and added that decisions recently made by his cabinet "resolved an unpleasant situation that had been created in the past week in one part of the public". "We found ourselves in a situation where the UN secretary-general had nicer and better things to say about this subject than we had," stated Dacic. Asked by reporters what type of "logistical" support Jeremic could expect - considering that an office that set up for that purpose by the previous government had been shut down - Dacic said this support was "remodeled", and would now be channeled via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dacic stressed that his government "would not interfere" in Jeremic's work, while both agreed that "they would be very happy if basic principles of the UN Charter were to be respected", and singled out the respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries as one of those basic principles. Jeremic further noted that Serbia - i.e., the former Yugoslavia - was 20 years ago ousted from UN membership, but that it was today in a position to be "first among equals" in that very organization. According to him, "the debate that was taking place in a part of the public was regrettable and did not contribute to Serbia's international standing". The former minister also added that there were no misunderstandings between him and the new government. Jeremic emphasized the resolution and prevention of conflicts through peaceful means as one of the main topics of his upcoming UN General Assembly presidency. He also stated that the government had set aside "as much as it could" towards funding of the presidency, and said that it would go ahead, "regardless of the sum". Addressing issues related to Serbia's internal political scene, Jeremic - a high ranking official of the now opposition Democratic Party (DS) - said that he did not plan to join Dacic's ruling Socialists (SPS) once his stint at the helm of the UN General Assembly was over. Dacic also addressed the speculation published in some Belgrade-based media, and said: "I don't know what to tell you, that's not true. I don't know what will happen in a year's time, but we have not discussed that, and party-related issues are currently of no interest to me." Vuk Jeremic and Ivica Dacic address a news conference in Belgrade on Tuesday (Tanjug) Tanjug

PM meets with incoming chief of UN General Assembly

He added that "regardless of the person presiding", it was "an honor and reason to be proud for any country to hold such an office".

"Internal political reasons must not do damage to Serbia's interests," noted the premier, and added that decisions recently made by his cabinet "resolved an unpleasant situation that had been created in the past week in one part of the public".

"We found ourselves in a situation where the UN secretary-general had nicer and better things to say about this subject than we had," stated Dačić.

Asked by reporters what type of "logistical" support Jeremić could expect - considering that an office that set up for that purpose by the previous government had been shut down - Dačić said this support was "remodeled", and would now be channeled via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dačić stressed that his government "would not interfere" in Jeremić's work, while both agreed that "they would be very happy if basic principles of the UN Charter were to be respected", and singled out the respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries as one of those basic principles.

Jeremić further noted that Serbia - i.e., the former Yugoslavia - was 20 years ago ousted from UN membership, but that it was today in a position to be "first among equals" in that very organization.

According to him, "the debate that was taking place in a part of the public was regrettable and did not contribute to Serbia's international standing". The former minister also added that there were no misunderstandings between him and the new government.

Jeremić emphasized the resolution and prevention of conflicts through peaceful means as one of the main topics of his upcoming UN General Assembly presidency.

He also stated that the government had set aside "as much as it could" towards funding of the presidency, and said that it would go ahead, "regardless of the sum".

Addressing issues related to Serbia's internal political scene, Jeremić - a high ranking official of the now opposition Democratic Party (DS) - said that he did not plan to join Dačić's ruling Socialists (SPS) once his stint at the helm of the UN General Assembly was over.

Dačić also addressed the speculation published in some Belgrade-based media, and said:

"I don't know what to tell you, that's not true. I don't know what will happen in a year's time, but we have not discussed that, and party-related issues are currently of no interest to me."