At its session held on 13 July 2005, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia discussed the Report on the initiative to form deputies’ friendship groups. The Committee’s chairperson, Gordana Comic, informed the deputies that the initiative to form deputies’ friendship groups, made by the Foreign Affairs Committee, had been well received among the diplomatic corps. She underlined that friendship groups were a way for parliamentarians to open up and stabilise channels of communication, and, later, to make possible contacts, treaties, and all other relations to be entered into by executive bodies, ministers, and local self-government officials. Equal treatment of all embassies, and regional initiatives, were specially well received.

Based on conclusions from previous sessions, the Committee contacted all embassies and received favourable replies from those of the United States, the Russian Federation, Israel, Great Britain, Argentina, India, Greece, Switzerland, Libya, Finland, and Denmark.

In a break with tradition, the United States Congress expressed willingness to establish a friendship caucus, while the embassies of Japan and Israel asked for meetings with members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The embassy of the Russian Federation invited a delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee to visit the International Affairs Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

The Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the Decision on the Formation of a Deputies’ Group of Serbian-Israeli Friendship, while the final list of deputies interested in membership of friendship groups, which have already requested meetings, should be ready by Friday 15 July 2005.