Djuric: Angola has remained Serbia's strategic ally on key issues

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric on Thursday met with Angolan counterpart Tete Antonio, who is on a two-day official visit to Serbia, and noted that Angola had remained a strategic ally of Serbia on all key issues and that the 50-year friendship between the two countries continued to develop.

Thanking Angola for its support on all key issues, Djuric said it was his honour and pleasure to host an Angolan delegation.

"When it comes to respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty in Kosovo-Metohija, Angola has remained our unwavering strategic ally in southern Africa. When it comes to the recent Srebrenica resolution, Angola was on the side of stability, it abstained in the vote and we will never forget that," Djuric said at a press conference with Antonio.

Serbia is proud to have been one of the states that supported the anticolonial struggle, Djuric also said.

"Belgrade was the first capital in this part of the world to recognise the independence of Angola," he said.

He said Serbia was conducting a freedom-loving and independent foreign policy and boosting its ties with Angola.

"Serbian companies in Angola are operating excellently in the food industry and energy sectors. Jobs are being created in Angola, and the economies of both countries are seeing benefits. We want to increase this strategic cooperation," he said, adding that a bilateral agreement on mutual recognition of academic credentials had been signed earlier in the day.

"Today, we agreed to renew the work of a committee on trade and economic cooperation after several decades and to also hold the first session this year," Djuric said.

He added that Serbia wanted to be the "gateway for friendly Angola when it comes to this part of Europe."

Thanking Antonio for coming to Belgrade, Djuric said he also expected a visit by the Angolan president soon.

Antonio said the two countries maintained excellent bilateral relations and that the cooperation and support for mutual goals needed to be continued.

He said his discussions in Belgrade had also addressed the economy and what Serbia could offer to Angola in terms of industrialisation.

He added that this was his third visit to Serbia and noted that that spoke of the quality of bilateral relations.

Antonio also said Angola was a part of the African Continental Free Trade Area and had space for further expansion.