Đurić: Serbia actively cooperates with international partners in the fight against terrorism

In a statement to journalists after the meeting, Đurić said that by participating in this meeting, Serbia once again emphasized the importance it attaches to the fight against global terrorism, as well as its full commitment to the eradication of terrorism, which represents a serious threat today.

“It is particularly important that Serbia is actively cooperating with international partners, including through intelligence, security, military and police channels, to suppress global terrorism as a threat,” Đurić pointed out.

The Serbian Foreign Minister underlined that for Serbia terrorism is not an abstract and distant threat, but something that, unfortunately, has been present in our region for decades.

“As we know, from the territory of our country, that is, from our southern province, a large number of terrorists joined ISIL, and all this together is another reason to cooperate to a larger extent with international partners in the fight against this global problem,” Minister Đurić said, adding that today's meeting represents another step forward in joint international efforts in dealing with terrorism.

On the fringes of the event in Washington, Đurić met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Caspar Veldkamp and expressed his belief that, in the period ahead, Serbia can significantly promote its relations with the Netherlands.

The head of Serbian diplomacy recalled that there are a large number of Dutch companies operating in our country, which employ around 15,000 workers, and which contribute significantly to our economy.

“I highlighted Serbia’s economic and development opportunities and potentials. We also discussed the political and security situation in our region. I believe that cooperation with the Netherlands can yield significant results in new technologies and in general contribute to the diversity of Dutch companies arriving to do business in Serbia,” the Minister said.

Đurić added that Dutch support for our European path is extremely important for Serbia, and that Serbia is a country that takes the reforms it is implementing very seriously, but primarily does so for its own sake.

“We come to the European table, not with an outstretched hand, but as a country that is developing solidly, strongly and quickly and that can play a very significant role in the wider region, with a healthy economy, with people who are oriented towards knowledge and science, with а work ethic and commitment to the future”, the Serbian Foreign Minister concluded.