First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic participated in the work of the Pacific Alliance Business Council, in the context of the 13th Pacific Alliance Summit in Puerto Vallarta, where he presented his remarks to a Task Force of Foreign Ministers from the Pacific Alliance Member Countries (Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia), elaborating on the promotion of international political and economic cooperation.

Apart from Serbia's Foreign Minister Dacic, the meeting was also attended by Foreign Ministers of the PA Member Countries, high-ranking representatives of the EU, Romania, South Korea, Spain, Israel, Slovakia, Great Britain, Italy, Argentina, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Germany and China.

Following are the remarks presented by Minister Dacic on the occasion:

"Distinguished Chair,
Esteemed Ministers of Economy, Foreign Trade and Finance,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Now that the Republic of Serbia has attained the status of a Pacific Alliance Observer Country, I have the great honour and pleasure to address, for the first time in this capacity, the Organization's Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Finance, as well as representatives of Observer Countries and international organizations.

Though geographically distant, Serbia has recognized that the countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region, and their regional organizations, share the same fundamental principles and values that lie at the core of its own foreign policy, as well as relations and cooperation at all levels, which primarily reflects in the observance of fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, sovereignty of states, human rights, peaceful coexistence, democracy, cooperation, solidarity and dialogue on an equal footing on all open issues.

The past level of exchange and the structure of economic cooperation with the Pacific Alliance Member Countries significantly lag behind our countries' potentials. We believe that there are opportunities for stepping up cooperation in agriculture and food industry, as well as in mining, energy, telecommunications and construction, not only in the form of ordinary trade exchange, but also through investments enabling us to act in concert in the markets of Southeast and East Europe, and in those of Central Asia and Asia Minor, which maintain liberalized trade regimes with Serbia.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Governments of the Pacific Alliance Member Countries for granting Serbia admission to this regional integration mechanism as an Observer, and to reemphasize Serbia's readiness to cooperate in a mutually beneficial manner and in areas of shared interest.

Allow me to thank Mexico for its cordial hospitality, and to give our host credit for excellent organization of the meeting.

Thank you for your attention!"