Serbia-Azerbaijan relations "excellent"

Serbia-Azerbaijan relations "excellent"

BAKU -- Azerbaijan-Serbia relations are on a high level and the two countries support each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the international arena.

This is what Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said on Wednesday after a meeting with visiting Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Minister Ivica Dačić.

Dačić is on a two-day visit to Baku, where he also met with President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, as well as Minister of Economic Development Shahin Mustafayev.

At a joint press conference, Mammadyarov said that Belgrade's position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is very significant to Baku, especially in view of Serbia's upcoming OSCE chairmanship from January 1.

Dačić said that Serbia is taking the OSCE chairmanship very seriously, reiterating that dialogue is the only solution for conflicts.

"I will not comment on double standards. Serbia has experienced that problem. We will contribute to conflict resolution during the OSCE chairmanship," the Serbian foreign minister said.

The EU backs the territorial integrity of all counties. However, if you recognize a country's territorial integrity and the forces of another country enter that territory, that is occupation - I cannot describe that in any other way, Mammadyarov said, adding that work on a peace agreement should be under way soon.

Armenia should withdraw its forces from Azerbaijani territory - they are the biggest threat to the region, he added.

Dačić thanked Azerbaijan for the assistance it provided to Serbia's flood-hit areas and the support to the country's territorial...