Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Mrkic, at the invitation of his opposite numbers, travels to visit Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, from 20 February to 2 March 2013.

The importance of the visits of our state delegation to the region of Southeast Asia is also evidenced in the fact that Minister Mrkic is due to meet with the top-ranking officials of his host countries. The occasion of the visits will be used to enhance the political dialogue at the highest level on the most important international and regional issues, and to seek further support for the positions and policy of Serbia, including ways of exploring specific possibilities for promoting economic and other forms of cooperation.

On this tour, Minister Mrkic also intends to sign several bilateral agreements on cooperation with the host countries, which will serve as a further proof of the traditionally good relations and strengthen the framework facilitating the cooperation.

Despite the current global economic crisis, the Southeast Asian region has been rapidly developing and recorded a steady annual growth rate of nearly 6 per cent in recent years, whereas the possibilities of cooperation with the countries in this part of the world and a greater presence of our companies on these markets are realistic and potentially of significance.