National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received the Ambassador of Algeria Abdelkader Mesdoua, Ambassador of Palestine, doyen of the African Group Mohammed K. M. Nabhan and Ambassador of Guinea, doyen of the Diplomatic Corps Mohamed Issiaga Kourouma.

The Ambassadors delivered a letter to the NARS Speaker, a démarche in response to the recent statement of the Liberal-Democratic Party Parliamentary Group Head Cedomir Jovanovic at the NARS sitting of 22 March 2011.

The Speaker explained that every Tuesday and Thursday, under the Rules of Procedure, the deputies ask questions of the Government. The minutes containing the questions are sent to the Government so that competent parties might respond to the deputies within two weeks. In this capacity, deputy Cedomir Jovanovic asked a question of the Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic making the statement which was then criticized by African countries. Djukic-Dejanovic said that she did not hear the statement on the occasion, otherwise she would have certainly reacted.

No matter what the context of Jovanovic’s statement, the Speaker condemned it as it does not reflect the attitude of the people of the Republic of Serbia, the attitude of the National Assembly or her own, or the essence of the relations between Serbia and African and Arab countries.

“We are certain that the disputed statement is not the attitude of the Republic of Serbia, National Assembly or the NARS Speaker’s personal attitude and we are certain that it shall never happen again”, said the Algerian Ambassador. Continuing, the Algerian Ambassador stressed that they only request that the statement made at the Assembly be officially retracted there as well.

The Ambassadors opined that it would be beneficial to meet with deputy Cedomir Jovanovic to which agreed and joined the meeting.

Explaining that his statement was misinterpreted considering that it was given in the context of criticizing Serbia’s foreign policy and Minister Jeremic in particular, Jovanovic expressed his regret that his words had given offense to the Arab and African nations and assured the Ambassadors that it would never happen again. “I offer my sincerest apologies to everyone I have offended”, said Jovanovic.

The Ambassadors said that they can comprehend the criticism leveled against some African governments along the lines of lack of democracy, existence of despotism and dictatorship etc., but they cannot accept anyone insulting the dignity of African nations.