Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic met today with Mr. Andrew Leslie, a Canadian general, MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is attending the reception on the occasion of the assumption of duties by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

The Serbian Foreign Minister welcomed the guest, noting that he was pleased to meet him again after less than a year, in Belgrade.

Minister Dacic expressed his gratitude for Mr. Leslie's personal engagement, as an expert specializing in the situation in the Balkans, and the views he presented during the crisis in the territory of the former SFRY, contributing to a more objective insight of the international community into the situation on the ground, which was particularly important for Serbia.

Dacic and Leslie discussed the role Serbia played in the region, European integration and the two countries' relations with NATO and the Russian Federation, as well as the strictness of Canada's visa policy with regard to Serbian citizens.

Minister Dacic underlined that the relations with Canada are very important to Serbia and that a regular political dialogue would contribute to a better understanding with the aim if raising the level of the two countries' friendly relations. Both sides recognized opportunities for further promotion of Serbia-Canada relations, by developing trade, economic, university and cultural cooperation in the future.

The Canadian side also expressed readiness to extend its full support to our country in the implementation of the reform process on its EU path.