The Speaker of the National Assembly Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, received today the Ambassador of Israel, His Excellency Arthur Koll.

Expressing their pleasure with the meeting, the Speaker of the National Assembly Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, and the Ambassador of Israel Arthur Koll deemed that the political relations between Serbia and Israel are on a continual rise, adding that in order to further improve overall cooperation between the two countries parliamentary cooperation should be intensified, which the formation of friendship groups in both parliaments will greatly contribute to. Concerning this, Ambassador Koll announced an upcoming visit to Serbia by a delegation of the Israeli parliament.

The Speaker of the National Assembly stressed that, keeping in mind Israel’s principled position concerning Serbia’s efforts to preserve Kosovo-Metohija within its territory, Serbia expects that when voting at the UN General Assembly Israel will support its request to have the International Court of Justice rule on the legality of the self-declared independence of Kosovo-Metohija.

Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic expressed her pleasure at Israel’s economic progress pointing out that it is the foremost foreign investor in Serbia. She also expressed an expectation that the peace talks in the Near East will give long-term results.

Ambassador Koll was particularly interested in the ratification of the agreement between Israel and Serbia on granting most favoured nation status and the abolishment of visas between the two countries. He, also, announced that an agreement on the cooperation of two countries’ ministries of internal affairs which is being drafted, will be signed in 2009.

During the conversation, they exchanged information on the political situations in the two countries.