Macut: Diplomats Serbia's first line of defence in pursuance of strategic goals

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Djuro Macut said on Wednesday Serbian diplomats must be the country's first line of defence in pursuance of the strategic goals of preservation of territorial integrity and sovereignty and EU membership.

In collaboration with all state authorities, they must create something that will be a trademark of Serbia in countries in which they serve, Macut said at an Ambassadorial Conference hosted by the Serbian MFA in Belgrade.

"Serbia’s goals remain clear and unchangeable - the fight to preserve territorial integrity and sovereignty, and the European path and full membership of Serbia in the EU," a government statement quoted Macut as saying.

"Macut emphasised that preserving the southern province within Serbia remains the number one priority for Serbia," it said.

"Always and at all times, wherever you are, you must keep in mind that Kosovo-Metohija was, is and will be a part of Serbia, and no matter how much your hosts in certain countries try to convince you that it is not, that it is better to get rid of it, you know very well that Serbia cannot exist without Kosovo-Metohija as an integral part," Macut said.

"EU membership is our clear, unambiguous and unquestionable strategic commitment," he also said.

"Serbia, regardless of the fact that we have still not opened Cluster 3, will continue to implement reforms for the benefit of a better life for its citizens and that it meets all technical conditions in order to be ready to welcome the political decision to accelerate the European path.

Whenever they question our commitment, remind them that Serbia is in every sense - geographical, cultural, political, economic, fully part of Europe and that the Union will never be complete until the Republic of Serbia and the entire Western Balkans are its full members," the PM said.

"Macut said that he expects Serbian diplomats in the countries of Africa and Asia to knock on the old doors that the former Yugoslavia used, in order to establish new relations on a sound foundation.

The Prime Minister, congratulating Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric on organising this conference and thanking the diplomats for their engagement in defending Serbia’s interests, stated that they are the image of our country abroad and that their work is woven into every thread of our state and society," the statement also said.