Djuric, French senator discuss economic cooperation, bilateral relations

BELGRADE- Serbian FM Marko Djuric met on Monday with French Senator Olivier Cadic, who is in Belgrade for a France-Western Balkans business forum, to discuss bilateral relations and economic cooperation, which has been seeing a strong momentum in recent years, expanding to new areas.

Djuric said the level of Serbia-France bilateral relations was exceptional and that they were characterised by intensive political dialogue and communication at all levels, the Serbian MFA said in a statement.

Djuric said a strategic partnership between Serbia and France, agreed in 2011, was making a special contribution to constant improvement and deepening of cooperation in various areas.

He noted that an excellent personal relationship between Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Emmanuel Macron represented a strong symbol of a joint commitment to upgrading the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Djuric said the EU path was Serbia's clear strategic priority and that EU membership remained its most important foreign policy commitment.

Speaking about the situation in the region, Djuric pointed to increasingly frequent unilateral actions by Pristina and a continued policy of intimidation in the north of the province, and reiterated an appeal to the international community to urgently take steps to ensure security and safety to the Serb population.

The parties highlighted the significance of parliamentary cooperation as an important segment of boosting the relations and said it had been encouraging to see it intensify in recent years.

Djuric noted that friendship groups in the Serbian and French parliaments were active and making a significant contribution to promoting Serbian-French friendship.

The parties also assessed economic cooperation, which has been seeing a strong momentum in recent years and expanding to new areas, catching up with the excellent political relations.

Djuric noted that numerous capital infrastructure projects had been carried out with French partners and that new ones were being launched to further advance Serbia's economic development.

He also said Serbia was working with dedication on preparations for the specialised EXPO 2027 as a project of national significance it saw as an opportunity to present its potential and attract new investments.