Ample opportunities to promote cooperation with Pacific Alliance countries

13th Pacific Alliance Summit in Puerto VallartaFirst Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic participated in the work of the Pacific Alliance Business Council, in the context of the 13th Pacific Alliance Summit in Puerto Vallarta, where he presented his remarks to a Task Force of Foreign Ministers from the Pacific Alliance Member Countries (Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia), elaborating on the promotion of international political and economic cooperation.

Apart from Serbia’s Foreign Minister Dacic, the meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers of the PA Member Countries, high-ranking representatives of the EU, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Israel, Slovakia, Great Britain, Italy, Argentina, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Germany and China.

Following are the remarks presented by Minister Dacic on the occasion:

“Distinguished Chair,
Esteemed Ministers of Economy, Foreign Trade and Finance,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Now that the Republic of Serbia has attained the status of a Pacific Alliance Observer Country, I have the great honour and pleasure to address, for the first time in this capacity, the Organization’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Finance, as well as representatives of Observer Countries and international organizations.

Though geographically distant, Serbia has recognized that the countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region, and their regional organizations, share the same fundamental principles and values that lie at the core of its own foreign policy, as well as relations and cooperation at all levels, which primarily reflects in the observance of fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, sovereignty of states, human rights, peaceful coexistence, democracy, cooperation, solidarity and dialogue on an equal footing on all open issues.

The past level of exchange and the structure of economic cooperation with the Pacific Alliance Member Countries significantly lag behind our countries’ potentials. We believe that there are opportunities for stepping up cooperation in agriculture and food industry, as well as in mining, energy, telecommunications and construction, not only in the form of ordinary trade exchange, but also through investments enabling us to act in concert in the markets of Southeast and East Europe, and in those of Central Asia and Asia Minor, which maintain liberalized trade regimes with Serbia.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Governments of the Pacific Alliance Member Countries for granting Serbia admission to this regional integration mechanism as an Observer, and to reemphasize Serbia’s readiness to cooperate in a mutually beneficial manner and in areas of shared interest.

Allow me to thank Mexico for its cordial hospitality, and to give our host credit for excellent organization of the meeting.

Thank you for your attention!”


SERBIA AND EGYPT HAVE 110 YEARS-LONG TRADITIONAL FRIENDSHIP

Ivica Dacic with Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed AhmedFirst Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic met today with the Speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed who is paying an official visit to the Republic of Serbia at the invitation of the President of the National Assembly Maja Gojkovic. In addition to meeting the President of the National Assembly and addressing the members of the Parliament in a special session, Mr. Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed was received by the President of the Republic Aleksandar Vucic.

Minister Dacic warmly welcomed his guest and said that even today Egypt evokes fond memories of shared history between our two countries and reiterated Serbia’s full readiness to translate excellent political relations between Belgrade and Cairo into corresponding level of bilateral economic cooperation in the forthcoming period.

Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed emphasized that the friendship between the two countries which has not started today has a 110 year-long history. He said that Egypt shared the same sentiments for Belgrade and Serbia. He thanked Serbia for its support in June 2013 as well as Serbia’s support to Cairo in its struggle against terrorism.

Both sides noted that revitalization of the Joint Committee for economic cooperation which will take place soon will enable to define all fields of cooperation for which there are realistic interests and potentials. Mr. Ali Abdel Aal Sayyed Ahmed provided information on the capacities of Egyptian economy, with emphasis on civil engineering construction, telecommunications and river shipping owing to which Egypt has increased its presence in the African and South-Eastern Asia markets, having built Suez Canal II on its own.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said that he expected the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry to visit Belgrade within the context of stepping up political dialogue between the two countries at high and highest level.


MINISTER DACIC HANDED KEYS TO 40 APARTMENTS FOR REFUGEES IN SREMSKA MITROVICA

Ivica DacicThe address of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic at the ceremony of handing over the keys of 40 apartments to refugees in Sremska Mitrovica:
“Dear guests.
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am greatly pleased that we have gathered here today almost a year and a half after we jointly laid a foundation for the construction of 40 apartments, on 17 March last year. For me personally, this day has a symbolic meaning since evokes pleasant memories of a great success that we have jointly achieved in such a short period of time. This civil engineering and urbanistic triumph will enable people to build their lives on totally new foundations. I would like to point to the fact that these 40 apartments represent first housing units from Sub-project II of the Regional Housing Program and that is exactly what makes me proud of our today’s success. And not only that. These apartments will be made available to the most socially vulnerable segment of our population, to our fellow nationals who are refugees and who are facing special problems and most difficult challenges in life.

The construction of 40 apartments on this site was partly financed by the Fund of Regional Housing Program, in the amount of 680 thousand EURO and also in large part by a generous contribution of the town of Sremska Mitrovica. I would like to express special gratitude to its Mayor Vladimir Sanader since this municipality made the land available for these apartments including necessary infrastructure, in total value of approximately 14.5 million RSD.

I would like to recall that within Sub-project II, we are currently building 200 apartments in nine cities. The situation varies at these construction sited – flats are in different construction phases: it is either due to start, or the keys for some flats are to be given out soon, while in some cases it will happen in a few months. But we are certainly getting there. Other types of housing solutions under the subproject valued at more than 13 million EUR are almost completely finished – 250 village houses were bought off in 20 units of local self-government, 120 prefabricated houses were built in 28 units of local self-government and 9 Belgrade municipalities and most of the 330 packages of construction material were delivered.

I would like to take this opportunity to indicate the importance and our commitment to resolving the refugee issue. First of all, it is a longstanding, arduous and complex process, but not an impossible one, as we can see today. I think that we all agree that refugees who were forced to leave their homes in the end of last century throughout former Yugoslavia, deserve certainty and life in dignity after more than 20 years living as refugees and living conditions unworthy of men in the 21 century. That is why the Government of the Republic of Serbia along with other partners remains firmly committed to and engaged in implementing the Regional Housing Program which will ensure housing for 6000 families in Serbia. So far, 2000 have been provided for.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia invests huge resources and efforts in order to help all displaced persons. That is a complex task because in addition to refugees from former SFRY more than 200 thousand IDPs from Kosovo and Metohija found refuge in Serbia.

We should not lose sight that ensuring housing is not enough in itself, since the goal is to ensure the sustainability of the Program. First of all, I refer to social and economic conditions for a sustainable return or integration of refugees in society. That is why consider that it is very important that all participating states in the Program should fully implement the Sarajevo process. Successful implementation of the Program and good cooperation of the regional countries add to the importance of the Regional Housing Program. It transcends state borders and demonstrates that by cooperation and joint efforts, if there is will, sustainable and lasting solutions for the needs of the refugees can be found.

In the end, I would like to thank in particular all those who recognized the importance of the Program and contributed to its development and progress – European Union, USA, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Turkey, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and Hungary and all other donors whose names I would not like to omit. Of particular importance is the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and OSCE to the implementation of the Program. The role of the Council of Europe Development Bank in managing Trust Fund is unavoidable.

I am proud of all participants in the implementation of the Regional Housing Program and I hope that in the period ahead we shall take part in many more events like this.

I wish you a lot of happiness and success.


Efforts necessary to strengthen bilateral ties between Serbia and Peru

Ivica Dacic with Néstor Popolizio BardalesFirst Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic had a meeting today with Peruvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Néstor Popolizio Bardales, on the margins of the 13th Summit of the Pacific Alliance.

In a substantive conversation, the two Ministers jointly noted that it was necessary to invest efforts in order to strengthen bilateral ties in all areas of shared interest.

The interlocutors agreed that the very good past cooperation between Serbia and Peru reaffirmed the potential for the development of bilateral cooperation.

Serbian Foreign Minister informed his counterpart with the process of reforms implemented by the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

Ministers Dacic and Bardales also exchanged views on major foreign political topics.