First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic held today his first press conference since he took office as Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he outlined the priorities of his Ministry and its activities for the month of June, announcing also that regular press conferences will be held at the beginning of each month.

The objective of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to ensure the best possible international position for the country, whereas foreign policy priorities include EU membership, development of cooperation with the great powers, further fostering of good relations with Serbia's traditional friends, strengthening of cooperation with developing countries, as well as regional cooperation.

This month, Serbia will have a dynamic diplomatic activity. Foreign Minister Dacic announced that UK Minister of State for Europe David Lidington would be visiting Belgrade tomorrow. "We attach great importance to our relations with the United Kingdom. These relations have not seen much improvement in recent years and we have been urging them continuously to work together with us in order to find a common interest", said Dacic.

Minister Dacic announced that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu would visit Belgrade on 10 June, to discuss, among other things, Turkish assistance to the rehabilitation of the consequences of the devastating flooding in Serbia.

Dacic extended an invitation to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to visit Serbia, indicating that 17 June was being considered as the possible date for the visit.

"This is very important for Serbia, since the relationship with the Russian Federation is Serbia's foreign policy priority", Dacic stated, recalling that the last visit by a Russian Foreign Minister to Serbia took place three years ago.
Dacic also announced that the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolini, would visit Serbia in late June.

As for Serbia's position regarding the Ukrainian crisis, Foreign Minister Dacic underlined that Serbia's position was a principled one and that Belgrade respected the territorial integrity of every Member State of the United Nations.
"We have a clear, principled position and we respect the territorial integrity of every state", Dacic stated in response to the question as to whether Serbia was pressured by the West to impose sanctions on Russia because of the Ukrainian crisis.

"We cannot impose restrictive measures against the Russian Federation", the Foreign Minister said.

Minister Dacid added that Serbia would have to align its policy with the policy of the European Union after joining the EU.

"Serbia is not an EU Member State. If we were ready for that, we would have already become a member. How is it possible that, on the one hand, we are not ready for membership, whereas on the other, we should be ready to immediately accept whatever we are required. It will come after we become a full-fledged EU Member State and until then, we must look after our own national and state interests", he said.
"I haven't seen that all European countries have been united over this", Dacic observed.

He called upon the Western countries to refrain from pressure in the context of Serbia's relations with Russia and China, adding that certain countries were not willing to give up their practice of putting pressure on Serbia, in the belief that only that practice works when Serbs are concerned".

"Serbs have slightly changed. There is no need for anyone to exercise pressure on us. In fact, we will pressurize others. Our pressure will result from our constructive position," said Dacic, adding "we know what we want and what we do not want, just as we know what we are obliged to do and what we are not".

"It is normal that Western countries have excellent relations with Russia and China, whereas it is problematic that Serbia has good relations with these countries", stated the Minister, adding that he instructed his "people in the Foreign Ministry to make sure that foreign diplomats in our country are treated in the same way as our diplomats are treated in their respective countries".

Minister Dacic also stated that Serbia was subject to pressure with respect to Kosovo, aimed at putting an end to Serbian efforts to prevent Kosovo's membership of international organizations. As an example he indicated that Kosovo had applied for membership of the Venetian Commission and that Quinta countries thus expected Serbia to refrain from blocking this initiative.

"Serbia cannot prevent Kosovo's admission, but it will not vote in favour or applaud it, either", he emphasized.

The Government has not yet expressed its position regarding Serb participation in the Kosovo election on 8 June, stated the Minister, in the belief that all the conditions for their participation needed to be fulfilled.

"We are not pleased with the way Pristina is abusing the agreements reached in Brussels", said Minister Dacic at the press conference held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He stated that the Government would like to see Serbs participate in the elections, since that would be conducive to their achievement of an increasingly important political role.