First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic attended today, in the capacity as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, the Dushanbe meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Member States.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization brings together the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.

Yesterday, the Serbian Foreign Minister had meetings with the hosts, the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, while he talked today to his counterparts, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and Belarus.

“All of these six countries have been very friendly to Serbia; we have enjoyed considerable support on their part when it comes to both bilateral relations and the Serbian OSCE Chairmanship.
These six countries share a very friendly relationship with Serbia, not a single one of them has recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, and Serbia should embrace a much more active approach in fostering the friendly ties with these countries.

The meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was the most important one. We discussed the situation in Ukraine, the course of the peace process. The Minister conveyed to me certain requests and pleas on behalf of the Russian and Ukrainian Presidents concerning the Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, with the wish for the Mission to be even better and more active.

Therefore, I will call a meeting with the OSCE Secretary General, Chief Monitor of the Special Monitoring Mission Apakan, and my Representative in the Trilateral Contact Group Heidi Tagliavini, to be held in Belgrade, on 8 April, with the aim of considering what steps to take next in order for the Mission to be as efficient as possible in cementing peace in Ukraine”, Minister Dacic stated following today’s meetings.