Marinkovic: Serbia-US-Israel partnership natural, we share same values

BELGRADE - There is nothing more natural and more logical than Serbia, Israel and the US being allies and strategic partners as, throughout history, they have shared the same values, Serbian-American Friendship Congress (SAFC) President Vladimir Marinkovic said on Wednesday.

In changed geopolitical circumstances, Serbia wants to be a bridge connecting central and eastern European countries with Israel and the US, Marinkovic said at an international conference titled Partners in a changing world: Central & Eastern Europe, America, Israel and the new Middle East.

Serbia is the only European country that is a strategic partner of Israel and the UAE, Marinkovic said, adding that strategic dialogue between the US and Serbia was due to open in Washington on Friday.

"There could not have been a better time for this conference to take place. I would like to thank our friends from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee for the great support and trust, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia for all the support from the business community, for the development of our economic cooperation, which also represents further motivation for political and military cooperation and joint deals and arrangements among Serbia, Israel and America," Marinkovic said at the conference, hosted by the SAFC in the Serbian parliament building.

He said the conference would address cooperation in security, new technologies, IT, innovation, as well as the culture of remembrance and a joint fight of the three states and the three nations against historical revisionism.

He said that, for years, the SAFC had been working on advancement of the relations among Serbia, the US and Israel to the benefit of the three countries and the three nations.

"So that we can continue our tradition, share common values and work on them and protect our national interests and our military and economic interests in the best possible way, given that we live in a time when the position of Serbia, in particular, is under threat on a daily basis," Marinkovic said.

He thanked Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic for supporting the idea of advancing the cooperation among Serbia, Israel and the US.

US House of Representatives member Josh Gottheimer said the partnerships being built between the US and Israel and their partners in central and eastern Europe and the Middle East represented a direct investment into a more secure and more prosperous future for all nations.

He added that US-Israel relations were crucial for US national security, as well as for ensuring peace in the Middle East and worldwide.