Serbia’s diplomatic activities in the coming period should also be directed towards foreign policy priorities, namely the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and full membership in the European Union, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić, who organized a traditional reception for members of the Government of Serbia and the diplomatic corps on the occasion of marking the New year according to the Julian calendar.
According to Minister Dačić, the priorities are the development of good neighborly relations and regional cooperation, the improvement of bilateral relations with all countries, and especially the nurturing of traditional friendships.
“Preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity is a priority of our state order, and the state directs our foreign policy activities accordingly,” said Dačić, adding that any attempt to resolve the Kosovo issue is possible only through the establishment of a dialogue mechanism between Belgrade and Pristina.
“We will continue with strong engagement in order to preserve peace and stability, we will continue to defend international law,” Dačić said.
The minister said that Serbia still believes that full membership in the EU is achievable and that the promise from Thessaloniki represents a realistic and achievable goal.
“Fulfilling the criteria on the way to full membership remains one of the key foreign policy priorities, which is also the strategic goal of all governments in the past 20 years,” said Dačić and recalled Serbia’s message that EU reform must be parallel to the enlargement process.
He said that Serbia belongs to the European family in every sense, and that the EU is the main economic partner.
“We need to keep the European perspective alive, because it is a catalyst for reforms and prosperity”, noted Dačić and added that tangible progress in the negotiations is necessary while simultaneously increasing the readiness of individual EU members to accept new members.
Among others, the New Year’s reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was attended by US ambassador Christopher Hill, ambassador of Russia Aleksandar Bocan Harchenko, head of the EU delegation Emanuele Giaufret, ministers Tanja Miščević, Tomislav Žigmanov, Đorđe Milićević, Novica Tončev and Tomislav Momirović.