Bilateral meetings ahead of Belgrade summit

Bilateral meetings ahead of Belgrade summit

Vucic then met with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, and the two discussed improving bilateral and economic cooperation, as well as infrastructural projects of importance for their countries.

According to Vucic, priorities of his government include strengthening relations with neighbors and continued policy of reconciliation. Djukanovic said that upcoming projects such as the Belgrade-Bar railroad and plans for other regional projects "could mark the summit."

The two prime ministers agreed to hold a joint session of their cabinets in March 2015, and form a working group to look into joint projects in the areas of energy, infrastructure and transport.

Aleksandar Vucic and Minister of Transport of the People's Republic of China Yang Chuantang discussed on Tuesday the construction of a high-speed rail line between Belgrade and Budapest and methods to finance the project.

The two officials highlighted the need for a feasibility study to be completed by June 2015 to have the railway built by June 2017, the government's media relations office said in a release.

Talks on the project to build a double-track railroad with up to 200 km/h speed were started during the Serbian prime minister's visit to China in September.

Vucic and his Romanian counterpart Victor Ponta discussed economic cooperation on Tuesday and stressed the need for more work on a highway between Temisoara and Belgrade, an important joint infrastructure project by the two countries.

A feasibility study and finding a way to fund the project are the first steps the two sides will take, the two officials agreed, the government said in a statement.

They also discussed the possibility of cooperation on the trans-Balkan corridor between Pancevo and Resita, which would improve exchange of electricity and the transmission system, connect Serbia and Romania with Europe and ensure energy stability for the two nations.

The two prime ministers discussed also "the possibility of constructing a natural gas corridor."

Aleksandar Vucic met with his Slovenian counterpart Miro Cerar and said there were "no obstacles to the cooperation between the two countries" and that "Serbian-Slovenian relations are better than ever."

The two prime ministers discussed the bilateral economic cooperation and Slovenia's support to Serbia in the EU accession process.

Cerar pointed to "Slovenia's positive approach to Serbia" and commended the proactivity of the Serbian government in addressing political and economic issues, stressing that such a position is encouraging for the Slovenian government.

The Slovenian prime minister invited his Serbian counterpart to visit Slovenia in February, which Vucic accepted.

Latvia's Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said that Latvia will support the beginning of Serbian EU accession process during her country's EU presidency.

In her statement to Tanjug, Straujuma congratulated Serbia on the excellent organization of the Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries.

Straujuma said that in her meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic she had an opportunity to see that Serbia is committed to its EU path and that it will carry out the economic reforms and the political processes necessary to meet the EU requirements.

"During Latvia's EU presidency, we will do our best to help the start of the accession process," she stressed, and welcomed Serbia to the EU.

Vucic also during the day met with counterparts from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia, Poland, and Slovakia.

China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang also held a series of bilateral meetings in Belgrade on Tuesday.

He met separately with the prime ministers of Slovenia, Latvia, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania, Tanjug learned from the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.

According to the embassy, Li Keqiang will be meeting with his colleagues from Central and Eastern Europe on Wednesday as well. The Third Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries will start in Belgrade on Tuesday afternoon.

Aside from the hosts, Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang, the summit is bringing together 14 more prime ministers of the participating countries, and the Croatian delegation will be headed by the first deputy prime minister.

The summit and an accompanying economic forum will host over 5,000 participants, members of economic and state delegations of China and 16 CEECs, who will discuss vital issues in the areas of agriculture, industry, tourism, IT, transport and infrastructure.

The goal of Belgrade Meeting is to ensure continuation of joint efforts aimed at strengthening cooperation between China and CEECs, launched in Budapest three years ago and continued at the meetings in Warsaw in April, 2012, and Bucharest in 2013, the Serbian government has said.

Particular emphasis is being laid on the promotion of economic cooperation, and Belgrade Meeting will focus on constructive talks which should bring about agreements on specific cooperation and investment projects.