Begovic receives Cypriot ambassador

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Science, Technological Development and Innovation Jelena Begovic met with Cypriot Ambassador to Belgrade Andreas Fotiou on Tuesday to discuss various modalities of cooperation in line with a signed MoU on bilateral cooperation in science.

According to a statement released by her ministry, Begovic said a foundation must be built for future bilateral cooperation that would imply short-term exchange programmes, as well as longer-term ones where Cypriot scientists would work at Serbian scientific and research organisations, and vice versa.

"I am certain that, by September, we will make more concrete a plan for further development of Serbia-Cyprus bilateral cooperation in the coming years," Begovic said.

Fotiou said Cyprus stood ready to deepen further its cooperation with Serbia.

Begovic and Fotiou agreed the two countries needed to set up a joint committee to plan and implement future cooperation.

Begovic invited Cyprus to take part in the International Technical Fair in Belgrade in May this year.

"We want this fair to really become an international one and China, France, Italy, India and Cape Verde have already expressed interest in participating. We would be greatly honoured if Cyprus, too, were to participate in the fair," Begovic said, noting that an innovation forum could also be held in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.

Begovic and Fotiou agreed there was also space for cooperation in the field of digitalisation of cultural heritage and in the science behind renewable energy sources.