Izetbegovic and Vucic meet in Mostar

Izetbegovic and Vucic meet in Mostar

"The Serbs and Bosniaks certainly have common future here where they have been living together for centuries," Vucic told a joint press conference with Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency chairman Bakir Izetbegovic, after a meeting they had today that they both characterized as good, sincere and, as Vucic said, not an easy one.

"The Serbs share their border with many nations, but we live together with the Bosniaks in both Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and it will have to be so in the future," Vucic said, adding that the Serbs would "act seriously and responsibly and safeguard peace and the right of every child to have a future."

We both believe that we should step up our dialogue by making more contacts and holding more meetings in the future, because we believe that the Serb-Bosniak relations are the backbone for the survival of the Western Balkans in the proper sense of the word - for peace and security of all the people in the region, he said.

Vucic thanked Izetbegovic for his hospitality and said he had held a frank and open, although not an easy meeting with him about relations between the Serbs and Bosniaks in general and relations in the region.

Vucic said that Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina should improve economic cooperation, stating that Serbia had recently become Bosnia-Herzegovina's prime trade partner, while Bosnia-Herzegovina was Serbia's third largest export destination and fourth trade partner.

The past must be viewed from every angle, Vucic said, advising "Bosniaks to put themselves in our, Serb shoes, and we, Serbs, in those of the Bosniaks."

Izetbegovic told reporters that "the past is what it is and cannot be influenced" - unlike the future.

"We are ready to try to intensify the dialogue between Serbia and Bosnia, Serbs and Bosniaks. There should be understanding and respect for one another, respect for the truth and judgments of international courts," Izetbegovic said.

Addressing the joint news conference after Vucic, he added that "Serbia is rightfully remembering the crimes committed during World War II and the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia."

"And it should remember and must not forget, as we will be forever remember some things," Izetbegovic said, adding that this should not be an obstacle to better relations.

Asked by reporters whether he will give up on the idea of renewing a genocide lawsuit against Serbia, Izetbegovic said that he was not the one who initiated the complaint or could give up on it.

"We still do not have some new evidence which would lead things towards that direction. If there is, then we will discuss it," said Izetbegovic.

However, he stressed that "until then nobody has the right to abandon the lawsuit" and that "precisely this is the role of the courts, to make a judgment if someone cannot reach an agreement."

"There should be no hard feelings, because some individuals and regime did something 25 years ago. This is a way to remove the responsibility from the entire nation," said Izetbegovic.