Djuric meets with Azerbaijani FM in Baku

BAKU  - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said in Baku on Monday Serbia and Azerbaijan had achieved much in the past two decades when it comes to forging bilateral ties, now characterised by trust, security and a strategic partnership in the true sense of the word.

At a press conference after a meeting with Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov, Djuric said the partnership between the two countries had been shaped under a strategic vision by Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Ilham Aliyev, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

"We discussed a range of issues, including cooperation in the economic sphere, which has been growing steadily every year. This year, we are already marking a record year in our economic cooperation but we are interested in advancing it further because good political and interpersonal ties can and should be complemented by greater ties between our economies," Djuric said.

Serbia is very interested in the holding of a first session of the Council on Strategic Cooperation, he said, noting that this would be a continuation of the already excellent level of official and formal communication between the two countries.

Djuric and his Azerbaijani counterpart also discussed modalities for mutually beneficial cooperation regarding international EXPO 2027, to be hosted by Belgrade.

Djuric said his discussion with Bayramov had also addressed a wide range of political issues, including mutual support on top national and state issues.

"We will continue to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan fully and strongly. It is a matter of principle and we are very thankful to Azerbaijan for standing with us and supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia, which is not only a matter of our excellent bilateral relations but also of the fact that our two countries are defending international law and the UN Charter," Djuric said.

He said the discussion topics had also included the present situation in Kosovo-Metohija and the problems facing Serbs in the province.

"I informed my Azerbaijani friends and colleagues of the pressures faced by the Serbs as a result of unilateral measures by the Albin Kurti regime, which have been universally condemned by EU member states as well as by countries worldwide. The pressure on the ground is so big that, last year alone, 15 per cent of the Serb population was forced to leave its homes due to such grave conditions," Djuric said, thanking Azerbaijan for supporting Serbia in international organisations.

The support is appreciated not only at political level, but also by Serbian citizens, he added.

Bayramov said the discussions had addressed a wide range of issues related to the strategic bilateral partnership in various sectors, including the economy, trade, energy, transport and communications and humanitarian issues.

"Activities by the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, as well as growth of trade, successful cooperation in the energy sector and joint investment projects reflect the dynamics of our strategic partnership," Bayramov said.

He said Azerbaijan and Serbia would consider introducing a visa-free travel regime for citizens of both countries, cooperation in education and twinning of cities to boost ties between the two peoples.