Kerry: Vucic is creating "new Serbia"

Kerry: Vucic is creating "new Serbia"

"I congratulate you, because you are leading Serbia on a very important path in defining a new and Serbia on its European road," Kerry said.

As Kerry said, it is very important that Vucic is ready for dialogue with Pristina.

He welcomed the initiative of the prime minister of Serbia to enter into dialogue with the Kosovo government in order "to leave the past in the past."

"Through this dialogue the past should be left to the past and help to define a better future for all the people who live there," said Kerry.

Kerry expressed his absolute support for Serbia on its European path and congratulated prime minister Aleksandar Vucic on the way in which he leads Serbia towards this goal.

"I congratulate you because you are leading Serbia on a very important road to the EU. You move as quickly as possible toward the EU, which we fully support and which will be good for the economy, citizens and achieving prosperity," Kerry said at the start of a meeting with the Serbian prime minister in the villa Bokeljka.

He recalled that he spoke about his visit to Serbia with Vucic recently in Washington.

He said they spoke about the choices Serbia is making to improve the economic picture and to attract foreign investments and move closer to the world economy, in which, he said, the Serbian people, who and talented and hard-working, can also participate.

Kerry added that he and Vucic would discuss ways in which the two countries can work together, as partners.

He said that the United States share an interest with all countries in the region regarding a common response to the challenge of violent extremisms affecting Europe, Middle East and other parts of the world.

"We have an obligation and responsibility to work to counter this scourge, to find ways to cooperate and to fight for stability and for a peaceful democratic future for the region," said the U.S. official.

"I am very happy to be here. I look forward to our discussions about bilateral relations," he said, adding that he felt "at home" in Belgrade.

Speaking to reporters Vucic expressed his gratitude for the support of the United States for the European path of Serbia.

Vucic pointed out that Serbia is honored to host such an important event like the ministerial meeting of the OSCE in Belgrade.

"We are grateful for American support to Serbia on its European path and we appreciate the increasingly better bilateral relations we are building," said the prime minister.

He added that Serbia is "trying to preserve stability, security and economic progress in the country and in the region."

"We consider this one of the most important conditions for the development of all countries in this part of Europe," said Vucic.

After their brief addresses to the press, Vucic and Kerry continued their conversation behind closed doors.