Serbia, Montenegro should focus on mutual interests

BELGRADE - Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and his Montenegrin counterpart Igor Luksic said on Tuesday that the two countries should focus on the search for mutual interests, including European integration and economic cooperation, and thus improve their relations which are now far much better than several years ago.

The two ministers signed the Agreement on cooperation between diplomatic academies and the Agreement on reciprocal assignment of real estate for accommodation of diplomatic and consular offices.

Addressing a joint pres conference, Dacic said that it is positive Serbia and Montenegro are making progress on their respective EU paths in the awareness of the gravity of the process as this is the path that will ensure their better future.
“We are open for talks on all matters and potential joint presentation in political and diplomatic terms,” Dacic said and added that the cooperation should also cover the infrastructure sector, energy and transport.

He expressed gratitude to Montenegro for the assistance it offered after the catastrophic floods that hit Serbia in May.

Luksic said that it is important for the two countries' relations to be further deepened through cooperation in a pragmatic way, and noted that the Tuesday talks covered European integration which holds huge importance for the region.

Asked if he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov who visited Belgrade on Tuesday, Luksic said that he did not meet him which, however, does not mean that he does not want to talk with him.

Dacic said that Luksic's visit was scheduled before the announcement of the Russian foreign minister's visit and added that Lavrov departed from Belgrade even before Luksic arrived.