Serbia in favor of "stronger EU-China partnership"

BUCHAREST Serbia, an EU candidate and China's strategic partner, "firmly supports further strengthening of the EU-China strategic partnership in all segments." This is what Prime Minister Ivica Dacic told a meeting of the Chinese prime minister and his counterparts from 16 states of Central and Eastern Europe, held in Bucharest. Serbia in favor of "stronger EU-China partnership" Dacic said that regional cooperation and the cooperation with China were "among priorities of Serbia's foreign policy." He thanked China for establishing the mechanism of cooperation with the 16 states, and for engaging in activities that pull the entire project forward “like a powerful locomotive“. To confirm this successful cooperation, he said, it has been announced that the project of modernization and construction of the Belgrade-Bucharest railway will be carried out jointly by Hungary, China and Serbia. "I expect that other countries in the region will also take part in the project", said Dacic. The prime minister noted that Serbia has excellent and friendly relations with China spanning almost six decades, adding that a strategic partnership was established in 2009 which stepped up bilateral relations and created a solid foundation for strengthening cooperation even further. He pointed to the projects which are already being realized: the building of a section of the highway between Serbia and Montenegro, the construction of a bridge over the Danube River in Belgrade, and the second phase of the construction of the Kostolac thermal power plant in eastern Serbia. Five days ago, an agreement was signed in Belgrade that stipulates the construction of a new thermal power plant and an expansion of the Drmno coal mine near Kostolac. Serbia is willing to share its good experiences concerning the cooperation and realization of joint projects with China with other regional countries, the Serbian prime minister said. “Even more so because Serbia is situated at the centre of this part of Europe, constitutes a crossroads of transport, energy, trade and cultural corridors and has always been a traditional bridge between the East and West. As you all know, two pan-European corridors cross each other in Serbia - Corridor 10 and Corridor 7 - the Danube River- which is a huge potential for cooperation,” Dacic said. Serbia proposes that Belgrade be a seat of an association of infrastructure at regional level, which will be tasked with improving cooperation between the EU and countries in the region, and China's relations with Serbia and other regional countries, the prime minister said. “It would be a great honor for Serbia that the next summit of heads of the Chinese government and countries of Central and Eastern Europe be held in Belgrade in 2014,” Dacic concluded. Dacic (C) is seen in Bucharest on Tuesday (Tanjug) Tanjug

Serbia in favor of "stronger EU-China partnership"

Dačić said that regional cooperation and the cooperation with China were "among priorities of Serbia's foreign policy."

He thanked China for establishing the mechanism of cooperation with the 16 states, and for engaging in activities that pull the entire project forward “like a powerful locomotive“.

To confirm this successful cooperation, he said, it has been announced that the project of modernization and construction of the Belgrade-Bucharest railway will be carried out jointly by Hungary, China and Serbia.

"I expect that other countries in the region will also take part in the project", said Dačić.

The prime minister noted that Serbia has excellent and friendly relations with China spanning almost six decades, adding that a strategic partnership was established in 2009 which stepped up bilateral relations and created a solid foundation for strengthening cooperation even further.

He pointed to the projects which are already being realized: the building of a section of the highway between Serbia and Montenegro, the construction of a bridge over the Danube River in Belgrade, and the second phase of the construction of the Kostolac thermal power plant in eastern Serbia.

Five days ago, an agreement was signed in Belgrade that stipulates the construction of a new thermal power plant and an expansion of the Drmno coal mine near Kostolac.

Serbia is willing to share its good experiences concerning the cooperation and realization of joint projects with China with other regional countries, the Serbian prime minister said.

“Even more so because Serbia is situated at the centre of this part of Europe, constitutes a crossroads of transport, energy, trade and cultural corridors and has always been a traditional bridge between the East and West. As you all know, two pan-European corridors cross each other in Serbia - Corridor 10 and Corridor 7 - the Danube River- which is a huge potential for cooperation,” Dačić said.

Serbia proposes that Belgrade be a seat of an association of infrastructure at regional level, which will be tasked with improving cooperation between the EU and countries in the region, and China's relations with Serbia and other regional countries, the prime minister said.

“It would be a great honor for Serbia that the next summit of heads of the Chinese government and countries of Central and Eastern Europe be held in Belgrade in 2014,” Dačić concluded.