Djuric: Serbia to accede to Artemis space programme

WASHINGTON - Serbian FM Marko Djuric, who is visiting Washington, announced that Serbia would accede to the Artemis space programme on Thursday by signing a series of agreements on cooperation with NASA.

"For our scientists, our companies and our institutions, that will open wide the door to participation in one of the world's most advanced space programmes," Djuric told reporters in Washington.

Even though Serbia is not involved in space research and has no space programme of its own, it is a nation of great names such as Nikola Tesla, Milutin Milankovic, as well as David Vuich, one of the pioneers of an Apollo space mission as part of the "Serbo 7 Team", a group of Serb engineers and technicians who contributed to the NASA programme that led to the Moon landing, he said.

"So, Serbia has historical ties to space research," Djuric said, adding that, on behalf of the Republic of Serbia, he would sign an agreement that would enable Serbian institutions, companies and institutes to become involved in space research.

"Serbia is committed to peaceful space research, to respect for international law, so that agreement, too, will help to create a favorable framework for our further development. Of course, this also has symbolic value and political significance and is taking place as part of strategic dialogue that is a step forward in Serbian-American relations," Djuric noted.

That means Serbia is in the category of countries with which the US maintains friendly and partnership cooperation, he said.

"Tomorrow, I will also take part in a conference on political violence, hosted by State Secretary Marco Rubio. According to my information, ministers from 60 countries will be there, too, but, for Serbia, the schedule continues on Friday in the form of the opening of strategic dialogue. This is really a big week for Serbia here in Washington," he said.

Djuric will be visiting Washington from July 15 through 17 for the opening of US-Serbia strategic dialogue, which, for the first time in history, will raise the relations between the two countries to the level of strategic partnership.