At the sitting held on 24 July, the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee conducted an interview with the newly-appointed Ambassadors of the Republic of Serbia to the United States of Mexico, Republic of Korea, Republic of Kenya and the Democratic Federal Republic of Ethiopia, before their departure for diplomatic duty. The sitting was chaired by Prof. Dr Dragoljub Micunovic, Committee Chairman.

The newly-appointed ambassadors stated their main courses of action in the countries where they shall represent Serbia, stressing economic cooperation as one of the priorities.

The new Ambassador to Mexico, Zoran Stanojevic, pointed out that, having in mind the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries, their bilateral economic relations do not meet a fraction of their potential. The pronounced disbalance in foreign trade is to Serbia’s detriment, which is why the Serbian Embassy should become more involved in promoting Serbian export potential, Stanojevic said. Mexico has not recognised the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo-Metohija, it calls for observance of international law and is an important partner for Serbia at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In addition, Mexico raising the level of diplomatic relations with Serbia to that of ambassador, is a significant gesture.

Ambassador Stanojevic also said that he shall strive to intensify parliamentary cooperation between the two countries. He said that the Serbian Embassy in Mexico also covers Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama on non-residential basis.

Presenting his program of activities, the Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Slobodan Marinkovic, estimated that there is great potential for improvement of Serbia’s overall bilateral relations with this highly developed country, member of the group of 20 of the most developed countries in the world. Economic cooperation should not focus only on increasing the volume of trade and decreasing the deficit on Serbia’s side, but also in attracting Korean investment.

Serbia’s new Ambassador to Kenya, Zdravko Bisic said that the Embassy is being opened after nine years and represents an opportunity to strengthen political dialogue and renew economic, and particularly military cooperation between the two countries. Ambassador Bisic shall also represent Serbia in Uganda, Burundi and Ruanda.

Explaining his planned activities, Serbia’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dragan Momcilovic said that the Embassy shall also be covering the surrounding countries of Djibouti, Seychelles, Tanzania, Somalia, Comoros and Madagascar. He emphasised the extreme instability of the South African region due to the armed conflicts in Somalia, as well as inter-ethnic clashes in Ethiopia itself.

Ambassador Momcilovic stressed that Serbia’s bilateral economic cooperation with this country is meager, adding to it the matter of outstanding debts, but that there is potential to strengthen cooperation in the area of military industry.