Djuric: Serbia to get another strategic partner in Central Asia - Uzbekistan

TASHKENT - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Wednesday in Tashkent Serbia was about to get another strategic partner in Central Asia - Uzbekistan.

"Our discussions with President (Shavkat) Mirziyoyev and (Foreign) Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov today are a follow-up to the dialogue launched by President Aleksandar Vucic in October, during an exceptional presidential visit," said Djuric, who is on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan.

He noted that his trip to Tashkent lent an additional impetus to Serbia-Uzbekistan relations as work was underway on implementing agreements reached by the two presidents.

He said a Serbia-Uzbekistan agreement on economic cooperation had entered into force five days ago.

"We have plans to host the president of Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev, for a state visit to Serbia in the coming months," Djuric said.

He noted that Uzbekistan was the largest and fastest-growing Central Asian economy and a country of 38 million people that had succeeded in attracting 43 bln dollars in FDI last year.

Djuric said independent foreign policies were what Serbia and Uzbekistan had in common.

"We are pursuing a multi-vector foreign policy, taking into account the region we are in, and I believe that, together with Uzbekistan, we can get to a point where we can be each other's gateways to this part of the world. During the discussions I had with my dear friend, Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, I had an opportunity to see for myself the opportunities that are presenting themselves here," he said.

Djuric: Uzbekistan has always stood with Serbia on Kosovo-Metohija issue

TASHKENT - Serbian FM Marko Djuric said on Wednesday in Tashkent Serbia and Uzbekistan maintained mutual political understanding and noted that Uzbekistan was a country that had always stood with Belgrade on the issue of Kosovo-Metohija and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

Djuric, who is on a two-day visit to Uzbekistan, met with the country's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and FM Bakhtiyor Saidov earlier in the day.

Speaking to reporters after the meetings, Djuric said Uzbekistan had always voted in favour of Serbia in international organisations, including when doing so had been complicated for Uzbekistan itself.

"Another thing I can say is that we have shared views on numerous international issues. Therefore, we advocate respect for international law, and we advocate the most urgent conclusion of the current conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine alike. We have no outstanding issues," Djuric said, adding that the leaderships of the two countries maintained good relations.

He added that Uzbekistan was one of the fastest-growing economies in Central Asia.

"Now that I have seen for myself that this country is truly one of the fastest-growing economies and one of the countries that are, politically, pillars of stability in this region, I can say I am glad that Serbia has friends like these in these difficult and uncertain times and that it is catching up with a country that attracted 43 bln dollars in investments last year and that will attract 50 bln this year, with its GDP developing at lightning speed," Djuric noted.