BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 23. Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić stated in New York that there is considerable attention to Serbia within the new U.S. administration, Trend reports.
He added that it is positive that continuous high-level talks and contacts are maintained even when difficult issues need to be openly addressed.
Minister Đurić emphasized that he also used his visit to New York for a meeting with the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Michael Wolff, one of the most influential figures in American foreign policy and a highly relevant interlocutor for Serbia regarding the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the status of Serbs, and the treatment of Serbian holy sites.
In addition to the energy situation, for which he highlighted the need for greater understanding of Serbia’s position, the meeting also covered the importance of political closeness between the two countries. He pointed out that President Trump enjoys unprecedented high support in Serbia, being one of the most popular world leaders among Serbs.
“This makes us politically close and calls for close cooperation, especially on such sensitive political issues,” Đurić added.
He noted that the new U.S. administration shows more sympathy and attention toward Serbia, emphasizing that open dialogue, even on difficult topics, provides a good basis for improving relations. He particularly highlighted the preparation of a strategic dialogue between Serbia and the U.S., which will be implemented soon, assessing it as a significant step forward in the quality of bilateral relations.
According to him, the meeting also addressed cooperation in the multilateral sphere, which had not previously been a subject of intensive discussions. He pointed out the potential for mutual support on the international stage, as well as the importance of economic cooperation, emphasizing Serbia’s interest in greater U.S. investment and capital inflows, which, he recalled, have revitalized the economies of some Eastern European countries.
“We want to see that capital used for the development of Serbia, just as we want this market to be more open and accessible to Serbian companies,” Đurić stated.
Reflecting on bilateral meetings with representatives of other major powers, Đurić considered his conversation with the President of the Security Council and Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, very significant. He noted that Nebenzya reiterated Russia’s firm support for Serbia’s territorial integrity and expressed understanding of the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.
During that conversation, initiatives related to commemorating the victims of the 1990s wars were also discussed, with Đurić pointing out a tendency toward unjust and one-sided treatment of Serbian victims.
Minister Đurić concluded that it is very important that the Serbian delegation had direct talks with representatives of two major powers. He also added that the support of the People’s Republic of China for Serbia is of exceptional importance and that the support of France for the UNMIK report and its work is encouraging.