Nikolic thanks Indonesia for policy on Kosovo

Nikolic thanks Indonesia for policy on Kosovo

Nikolic, who ended his three-day visit to Indonesia on Thursday, said in an interview to Indonesia's media that the friendship of the two countries, established in 1958, had now been restored.

Speaking about the objectives of his visit, Nikolic said that he had come to Indonesia, among other things, to thank it for its principled position and support that it showed toward Serbia, and for not recognizing the independence of the so-called state of Kosovo despite all pressures.

"Indonesia is an old friend of ours, and we wanted to point to the reasons why Kosovo could never be a state. On the other hand, Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world. Many have tried to present the secession of Kosovo as a religious conflict between Christians and Muslims, which is not true," Nikolic said.

He also noted that Serbia had voted for Indonesia to be a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2019 and 2020, while Indonesia voted against Kosovo's UNESCO membership.

Nikolic visited Salim Group, which is interested in stepping up its investment in Serbia, toured the National Archives, and then talked with Serbian expats on the third day of his visit to Indonesia.

Salim Group is Indonesia's biggest conglomerate, with annual revenues of over USD 70 billion and businesses in over 50 countries across the world.

CEO Anthony Salim informed Nikolic in detail about the Salim Group's operations spanning over food, chemical, automotive, construction, agricultural, energy, telecommunications, tourism, transport, mining and other industries.

Salim Group is due to open a noodle plant in the Serbian town of Indjija next month and see a three-fold increase in its business operations in Serbia by mid-2017.