The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received Nevzat Pakdil, Deputy Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Pakdil is one of the participants of the 35^th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PEBSEC), held at the National Assembly from 1 to 3 June 2010 and chaired by Serbia in the first half of this year. Pakdil shall chair the PABSEC in place of the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Mehmet Ali Şahin.

In the meeting with the NARS Speaker, Pakdil stressed that Turkey considered Serbia the main factor of stability in the Balkans, as well as an important factor in Europe which calls for raising the overall cooperation between the two countries onto a higher level. To this end, they emphasised economic cooperation, as well as cooperation in the spheres of tourism and education.

In view of Turkey’s investment potential, Djukic-Dejanovic stated it was necessary to improve economic cooperation so as to attract investors and alleviate the impact of the economic crisis.

Pakdil invited the NARS Speaker, on the behalf of the Turkish Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Şahin, to visit Ankara. The Serbian Parliament Speaker shall visit the Turkish Grand National Assembly in the autumn of this year.

The officials noted that parliamentary cooperation should be furthered primarily from the aspect of Foreign Affairs Committee and European Integrations Committee, as well as on the level of parliamentary friendship groups, and as regards joint endeavors in international organisations.

The Assembly Speaker stressed that Serbia upholds its territorial integrity and sovereignty and shall continue to use all parliamentary, legal, political and diplomatic means at its disposal to achieve this goal.