Dacic: Strengthening cooperation with Asia-Pacific region

BELGRADE - Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic met on Monday with heads of the diplomatic missions of the Asia-Pacific region in Belgrade to discuss intensifying of the political dialogue and promoting the economic cooperation.

Dacic met with the ambassadors of Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, China, Republic of Korea, Myanmar and the charges d'affaires of the Embassies of Malaysia and Pakistan.

He pointed out that Serbia attaches great significance to the cooperation with the countries belonging to one of the most dynamic regions in the world, reads a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dacic informed the diplomatic representatives about Serbia's foreign policy priorities, the EU accession process, and priorities of Serbia's OSCE chairmanship.

The talks also touched on the central international issues and topics concerning the Asia-Pacific region and the Western Balkans.

Pointing to Serbia's importance as the central and key country of the Western Balkans, Dacic called for the intensification of the political dialogue and the promotion of the economic cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

Last year, the trade volume with these nine countries amounted to USD 2.2 billion, Dacic said.

Serbia would gladly welcome greater presence of companies and investors from these countries, Dacic underlined and pointed to the country's favorable business environment and its advantages.

The diplomatic representatives of the Asia-Pacific region said that their countries are interested in strengthening and improving cooperation with Serbia and that the embassies in Belgrade will work on that.

Dacic thanked the ambassadors once...