Djuric: Dialogue with Pristina demanding, we are proud to be friends of Cyprus

NICOSIA - Serbian FM Marko Djuric thanked the government and the people of Cyprus on Tuesday for their years-long support and understanding for Serbia, and added that, that way, they also supported the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

Addressing an annual ambassadorial conference at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, Djuric noted that the dialogue with Pristina was challenging but that Belgrade remained committed to finding a peaceful and democratic solution.

He said the situation in Kosovo-Metohija was the greatest challenge for Serbia and that support from the international community for the so-called Kosovo's independence had been a major problem for Serbia, impacting its ability to fully align with the EU common foreign and security policy.

He also said he was pleased to have an opportunity to address Cypriot ambassadors and, in particular, reflect on the decades of friendship and the very close, almost fraternal relations between Serbia and Cyprus, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

Djuric noted that Serbia was very proud to be able to call itself a true friend of Cyprus and said his visit to Nicosia at the beginning of his term as FM was a testimony to that as a strong message to the Cypriot leadership that it could count on Serbia as a dependable friend.

He said Serbia's strategic objective was to complete all necessary political, legislative, economic and other reforms by 2027 and join the EU.

He noted that Serbia wanted equal conditions for EU membership, rather than an asymmetrical position with restricted rights.

Djuric, who is on a one-day visit to Nicosia, will meet with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and FM Constantinos Combos on Tuesday.