Orlic meets with Cypriot delegation

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic on Wednesday met with a delegation of the Cypriot parliamentary committee on foreign and European affairs headed by Chairman Harris Georgiades, and said Serbia deeply appreciated Cyprus's principled position of not recognising the so-called Kosovo, as well as its support to Serbia regarding Pristina's Council of Europe membership bid.

The parties confirmed that Serbia and Cyprus maintained a traditional friendship, the Serbian parliament said in a statement.

"Friends stand together in difficult times. These days are not easy, a day of mourning has been declared in our country over tragic events in the territory of Kosovo-Metohija for which Albin Kurti is exclusively to blame. Everyone knows well that Kurti has caused an escalation through the terror he has been wreaking on the Serbs for months, and that was his goal all the time," Orlic said.

"Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, as well as entire Serbia, want the terror to stop and a Community of Serb Municipalities to finally be formed - they are committed to dialogue and to continuing the comprehensive development of our country in peace. That is our principled position we have been governed by in all situations, with an equally clear message that, despite all the pressure, Serbia will never recognise the so-called Kosovo," Orlic said.

Georgiades said Cyprus firmly stood by the decision not to recognise the so-called Kosovo and would remain consistent about the matter in the future as well.

He noted that friendly Serbia and the brotherly Serbian people could count on Cyprus's backing on all of the most important matters for Serbia, including on strong support on its European path.