Djuric: Some proponents of Srebrenica resolution trying to deceive public through lies

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Monday some proponents on the Srebrenica resolution were trying to deceive the international public after even attempting to win over some UN member states through false claims Serbia itself would vote for the resolution or at least abstain.

"The truth is entirely different. We went and literally knocked on the door of every UN member state, including even the co-sponsors of the resolution, and you have seen that, in the end, we had a situation where several co-sponsors did not vote for the resolution, which tells you about the amount of pressure on some countries to back something they, in fact, knew nothing about," Djuric told Happy TV.

He said Serbia's diplomatic action, led by President Aleksandar Vucic, had been unprecedented and involved the country's entire diplomatic system.

"We also had representatives in every corner of the globe. As a country, we will have a kind of permanent benefit from this that is not only about blocking this hostile resolution - we have also raised Serbia's profile in the international community and refreshed our contacts from the era of the Non-Aligned Movement," he said.

He said Serbia had renewed some friendships that might have been neglected in the past as well as contacts with many small island nations.

"To us, every country is important. We treat every country with respect and we are creating a circle of Serbia's friends that is literally precious to us regarding the topic of Srebrenica, the topic of Kosovo-Metohija, as well as economic topics," Djuric noted.

He noted that the fact Serbia had managed to get 107 states not to support the Srebrenica resolution was a clear signal that those who would like to "push" Kosovo-Metohija into the UN would face serious and vigorous resistance.

"All of them will now think twice before going against Serbia with a new proposal," Djuric said, noting that the proposers of the resolution were "absolutely morally bankrupt."