Turkish foreign minister in Belgrade visit

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday visited Belgrade where he met with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic. They discussed relations between Turkey and Serbia and the discord among the Islamic religious communities in the country's southwestern region of Sandzak. Turkish foreign minister in Belgrade visit No statement was issued after the meeting and it is unknown whether Davutoglu brought with him the previously publicized agreement on the unification of the Islamic community in Serbia. After yesterday's visit, he told Turkish agency Anadolu that the development of relations between Turkey and Serbia helps the stability of the Balkans. Davutoglu said that he and Minister Jeremic also talked about the discord among the religious communities in Sandzak. The Turkish FM expressed hope a new phase will start for Sandzak and all Muslims in Serbia, as well as for the peace and stability in the Balkans, Anadolu reported. Davutoglu was originally scheduled to visit Serbia on October 19 to present the authorities with a draft agreement on overcoming the division in the Islamic community in Serbia. His visit was postponed, but it was announced that the draft agreement on uniting the Islamic Community in Serbia was drawn up by Ankara, Sarajevo and Belgrade and contains 14 or 15 principles. The most important is the one instructing the current leaders of the Islamic Community of Serbia reis-ul-ulema Adem Zilkic and Chief Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia Muamer Zukorlic to leave their positions and sign a pledge that neither they nor their closest associates will work in politics any longer. The final agreement will be signed by Ankara and Sarajevo, i.e. the head of the Turkish Diyanet (Directorate of Religious Affairs) Mehmed Gormez and reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina Mustafa Ceric. Belgrade was represented in the trilateral talks by ministers Sulejman Ugljanin and Rasim Ljajic. Ljajic said last week in Kragujevac that if one side does not sign the agreement, it will bear the consequences. He later backtracked, calling the Turkish initiative good in an interview for the daily Press, but adding "we will see what will come of it." According to information obtained by Tanjug, chances are slim that the proposed initiative will go through. Media in Bosnia-Herzegovina reported, however, that if the division in the Islamic community persists, Serbia will lose EUR 330mn Turkey has promised for the construction of a highway from Belgrade to Montenegro. Davutoglu and Jeremic in Belgrade on Monday (Beta)

Turkish foreign minister in Belgrade visit

No statement was issued after the meeting and it is unknown whether Davutoglu brought with him the previously publicized agreement on the unification of the Islamic community in Serbia.

After yesterday's visit, he told Turkish agency Anadolu that the development of relations between Turkey and Serbia helps the stability of the Balkans.

Davutoglu said that he and Minister Jeremić also talked about the discord among the religious communities in Sandžak.

The Turkish FM expressed hope a new phase will start for Sandžak and all Muslims in Serbia, as well as for the peace and stability in the Balkans, Anadolu reported.

Davutoglu was originally scheduled to visit Serbia on October 19 to present the authorities with a draft agreement on overcoming the division in the Islamic community in Serbia.

His visit was postponed, but it was announced that the draft agreement on uniting the Islamic Community in Serbia was drawn up by Ankara, Sarajevo and Belgrade and contains 14 or 15 principles.

The most important is the one instructing the current leaders of the Islamic Community of Serbia reis-ul-ulema Adem Zilkić and Chief Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia Muamer Zukorlić to leave their positions and sign a pledge that neither they nor their closest associates will work in politics any longer.

The final agreement will be signed by Ankara and Sarajevo, i.e. the head of the Turkish Diyanet (Directorate of Religious Affairs) Mehmed Gormez and reis-ul-ulema of the Islamic Community in Bosnia-Herzegovina Mustafa Cerić.

Belgrade was represented in the trilateral talks by ministers Sulejman Ugljanin and Rasim Ljajić.

Ljajić said last week in Kragujevac that if one side does not sign the agreement, it will bear the consequences. He later backtracked, calling the Turkish initiative good in an interview for the daily Press, but adding "we will see what will come of it."

According to information obtained by Tanjug, chances are slim that the proposed initiative will go through.

Media in Bosnia-Herzegovina reported, however, that if the division in the Islamic community persists, Serbia will lose EUR 330mn Turkey has promised for the construction of a highway from Belgrade to Montenegro.