First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic received today Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Italian Republic Ms. Federica Mogherini. The Italian Foreign Minister visited Belgrade at the invitation of the Republic of Serbia, in the context of Italian assumption of the EU Council Presidency. The visit to Serbia is part of Minister Mogherini's tour of the Western Balkan countries.

Serbia's EU integration and opening of specific negotiation chapters in the process of its accession negotiations during the Italian EU Presidency figured among the major topics of discussion.

"Serbia's goal is to align its foreign policy with the European one, meaning that in the period ahead we will continue to work to fulfill our obligations until we have completed all the negotiating chapters, particularly Chapter 31 (foreign policy)", stated Minister Dacic at a joint press conference with Minister Mogherini, adding that significant progress had been made over the last three months аs regards the percentage of alignment of Serbia's foreign policy with that of the EU, currently exceeding 70 per cent.

Serbia will cooperate with Italy and the EU most sincerely and candidly, said Minister Dacic. The two sides noted that the bilateral relations between the two countries have reached a high level and Italy reiterated its readiness for special involvement in the coming phases of Serbia's EU integration process.

Italian investments in Serbia's economy in the period ahead were the focus of their bilateral economic cooperation.

They also discussed Serbia's participation at world exhibition EXPO 2015 to be held in Milan, as well as various forms of regional cooperation.

During the meeting, it was noted that possibilities were opening to intensify regional cooperation and conclude infrastructural projects binding Serbia and Italy with the states with which Serbia has concluded free trade agreements.

In the multilateral cooperation area, talks centred on coordination of joint activity within the OSCE institutions during the Serbian Chairmanship-in-Office in 2015.

Foreign Minister Dacic thanked Minister Mogherini for the humanitarian relief aid that Italy sent to the flooded areas in Serbia and for its engagement in the International Donors' Conference in Brussels.

Mogherini and Dacic agreed today that the cooperation between the two countries would be intensive and operational. As regards the tradition of holding joint sessions of the two Governments, they announced the possibility that the fourth such session will be held in Belgrade, in the second half of 2014.