Djuric meets with Kasanof

BELGRADE - At a meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Balkans Alexander Kasanof, Serbian FM Marko Djuric said he was pleased with the dynamics of high-level political dialogue and reiterated Serbia's commitment to advancement of bilateral ties with the US in all areas.

Speaking about a recent agreement on strategic cooperation in the Serbian energy sector, Djuric said it heralded a new era of strategic cooperation with the US, and added that he hoped the document would be an additional step towards opening a strategic dialogue.

Djuric raised serious concerns over the increasing threat to the safety and survival of Serbs in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

Continued pressure, coercion and unendurable living conditions the Kosovo-Metohija Serbs face are a consequence of unilateral, provocative and violent moves by the provisional institutions in Pristina, Djuric noted.

He reiterated that Belgrade remained committed to peace and continued dialogue with Pristina, but also noted the necessity of implementing all reached agreements, in particular, a final establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities as a commitment undertaken under the Brussels Agreement more than a decade ago.

Commenting on Serbia's progress towards full EU membership, Djuric conveyed gratitude for the US support for achieving that foreign policy priority and informed Kasanof of the numerous steps taken in that regard.

He particularly highlighted a reform agenda recently adopted by the Serbian government with the aim of accelerated implementation of all launched political, legal, judicial, economic and other reforms by 2027.

He also noted that Serbia remained strongly committed to regional cooperation and a good-neighbourly policy promoting a "positive agenda" oriented towards the future and focusing on developing economic and all other forms of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Djuric noted that he was also pleased with stepped-up development of bilateral economic cooperation, which he said was characterised by an increasing inflow of investments by US companies and growing goods and services trade, the statement said.