Djuric: We have called ambassadorial conference to outline priorities of state policy

BELGRADE - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Tuesday his ministry had called an ambassadorial conference for late December to familiarise all Serbian ambassadors and consuls general of the priorities of the state policy.

"We want to give our diplomats from around the world an opportunity to exchange views, hold consultations and hear first-hand what the priorities of our state policy are," Djuric told the RTS.

He said the conference would also address the Kosovo-Metohija issue.

"Next year will be exceptionally important for us when it comes to affirmation and the fight for Kosovo-Metohija," he added.

"In the coming months, we will see what it is that we are doing, even though we have already been doing some things, but we did not want to boast of that for certain reasons," he noted.

He said it was necessary to work on Serbia's relations with European countries since as much as 77 pct of its exports went to Europe.

"Our reality is on the European continent. Therefore, 62 pct of our exports today go to the EU. We have no access to sea. The remaining 15 pct of the exports (to Europe) go to the eight countries around us," Djuric said.

At the conference, Serbian diplomats will receive information on how economic diplomacy can lend an additional impetus to economic cooperation and development, he said.

"We expect top state officials to address the ambassadors, consuls general and mission heads, and strategies for various regions will be made at theme panels," Djuric said, adding that the conference would be a key event for Serbian diplomacy.