First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic has met in Belgrade today with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, Hose Manuel Garcia-Margallo.

The two interlocutors discussed economic and diplomatic relations between the two countries as well as the need for information exchange concerning the refugee crisis and movement of terrorists.

Speaking at a joint press conference, the Head of Serbian diplomacy underlined that Spain was the EU country which, next to Cyprus, offered its maximum support to Serbia, including within the international institutions with regard to Serbia's efforts aimed at Kosovo not being recognized as an independent state.

"We must keep this in our minds forever. Those are foundations of our cooperation in the future", Dacic said adding that he hoped the Spanish King Felipe VI would pay a visit to Serbia on the occasion of the centenary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He also said that Serbia and Spain had good economic relations but small commodity exchange amounting to about EUR 340 million per year, that Spain has invested EUR 125 million in Serbia since 2005 including EUR 45 million in donations.

"There is room to enhance this cooperation and we will be working on that", Dacic said.

Minister Margallo said that Spain would continue to uphold the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia but it would not support the efforts made by Kosovo to become an independent state.

"Respect for the territorial integrity of a country is the basic principle that ensures peace in the world", Margallo said.

Minister Dacic emphasized, in particular, that Minister Margallo was the Head of the Ministry that was currently very engaged in supporting Serbia's interests.

"Spain is a country that is always by our side, the country that did not express its support only in words", the Head of Serbian Diplomacy stated.

"I also wish good political relations were translated into more frequent visits by Spanish officials. I know that our politicians love to travel to Madrid but I would also like to see Spanish officials coming to Serbia more often", Dacic said.