Vucic: Cooperation of PABSEC member states important

BELGRADE - It is only by joining forces that member states of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) can have an opportunity to make a substantial contribution to conceiving joint solutions to global challenges, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic noted in a message to participants of the 60th PABSEC General Assembly session in Belgrade.

After a long hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the session brought together deputies from all 13 PABSEC member states and guests from other countries and representatives of international organisations.

In the message, read out by Serbian MP Igor Becic, Vucic said the Organisation of Black Sea Economic Cooperation would celebrate its 30th anniversary next year and noted that he was pleased Belgrade was hosting a PABSEC session.

"I am confident we will live up to the traditional hospitality of our Serbia," he said.

The current global geopolitical circumstances remind us of the importance of all mechanisms promoting cooperation, he said.

Vucic said the organisation's member states had a duty to bolster mutual ties in all key areas that had brought them together at the time the organisation had been established, in the hope that they would contribute to better life of citizens and progress of states through joint work.

Welcoming the Black Sea Economic Cooperation member states, Serbian FM Ivica Dacic noted that the organisation's work had become even more important due to the complex global situation.

"The armed conflict and the Ukraine war have caused tectonic changes in the security structure and the significance of togetherness and cooperation is getting a new dimension," Dacic said.

He said the topics connecting the organisation's member states were economic issues, development of democracy, rule of law, the fight against organised crime and terrorism in the region, environmental protection, cooperation in culture and education and cooperation with the civil society.

Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic said regional cooperation was one of Serbia's foreign policy priorities.

The PABSEC General Assembly session is being attended by delegations representing Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine.