“Serbia is key factor of peace, stability in region”

BELGRADE Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that Serbia and Turkey have a joint vision of the region in which countries would be peacefully integrated. Davutoglu arrived in Belgrade on Friday and met with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic and Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. “Serbia is key factor of peace, stability in region” Dacic and Davutoglu agreed that all open issues should be solved through dialogue. The Serbian PM called for Turkey’s restraint when it comes to a solution for the Kosovo issues. He said that Turkey’s political position was of great importance for stability of the Western Balkans, while Davutoglu assessed that Serbia was a “key state in the Balkans” and supported reforms in Serbia and efforts to solve all open issues peacefully and through talks. Dacic and Davutoglu confirmed that a summit of the Serbian and Turkish governments would be held this year in Belgrade. The two officials said they expected the summit to improve bilateral relations between Serbia and Turkey. Improvement of economic relations is a priority and the goal is to have EUR 1bn worth of trade between the two countries on an annual level, they agreed at the meeting. Before the meeting with the Serbian prime minister, Davutoglu met with his Serbian counterpart. The two ministers after the meeting signed an agreement on employment of staff of the diplomatic-consular missions. The Turkish FM stressed that Serbia would continue to be a “central strategic factor of stability and peace in the region”. He told a press conference that he had come to Belgrade as a part of the preparation for an upcoming visit of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic to Turkey. He added that he also came to Belgrade to bring a message of partnership and peace. Mrkic said that he had an “open and heartily talk” that “is common between friends”. He added that the main topics of the talks were improvement of stability in the region, economic cooperation and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. The two ministers agreed that economic cooperation between Serbia and Turkey was good but that it could be significantly improved. Davutogu stressed that Nikolic would during his visit to Turkey also confer with Turkish entrepreneurs and added that his country encouraged its businesspeople to invest in Serbia. The Turkish FM said that Turkey strongly supported the Belgrade- Pristina talks and that it was ready to contribute to the process in any way it could. Davutolgu will during his one-day visit also meet with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic and Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin. Even though a meeting with the Serbian president was announced earlier, Nikolic's office has released that the meeting was cancelled due to technical reasons. Ahmet Davutoglu and Ivan Mrkic (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

“Serbia is key factor of peace, stability in region”

Dačić and Davutoglu agreed that all open issues should be solved through dialogue.

The Serbian PM called for Turkey’s restraint when it comes to a solution for the Kosovo issues.

He said that Turkey’s political position was of great importance for stability of the Western Balkans, while Davutoglu assessed that Serbia was a “key state in the Balkans” and supported reforms in Serbia and efforts to solve all open issues peacefully and through talks.

Dačić and Davutoglu confirmed that a summit of the Serbian and Turkish governments would be held this year in Belgrade. The two officials said they expected the summit to improve bilateral relations between Serbia and Turkey.

Improvement of economic relations is a priority and the goal is to have EUR 1bn worth of trade between the two countries on an annual level, they agreed at the meeting.

Before the meeting with the Serbian prime minister, Davutoglu met with his Serbian counterpart.

The two ministers after the meeting signed an agreement on employment of staff of the diplomatic-consular missions.

The Turkish FM stressed that Serbia would continue to be a “central strategic factor of stability and peace in the region”.

He told a press conference that he had come to Belgrade as a part of the preparation for an upcoming visit of Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić to Turkey.

He added that he also came to Belgrade to bring a message of partnership and peace.

Mrkić said that he had an “open and heartily talk” that “is common between friends”. He added that the main topics of the talks were improvement of stability in the region, economic cooperation and the Belgrade-Priština dialogue.

The two ministers agreed that economic cooperation between Serbia and Turkey was good but that it could be significantly improved.

Davutogu stressed that Nikolić would during his visit to Turkey also confer with Turkish entrepreneurs and added that his country encouraged its businesspeople to invest in Serbia.

The Turkish FM said that Turkey strongly supported the Belgrade- Priština talks and that it was ready to contribute to the process in any way it could.

Davutolgu will during his one-day visit also meet with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, Trade Minister Rasim Ljajić and Minister without Portfolio Sulejman Ugljanin.

Even though a meeting with the Serbian president was announced earlier, Nikolić's office has released that the meeting was cancelled due to technical reasons.