Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic assessed in Vienna, today, that after being known only for troubles some years ago, Serbia has now taken responsibility for the region and beyond.
Following the session of the OSCE Permanent Council where he presented, together with his Swiss colleague Didier Burkhalter, their joint workplan for the consecutive Chairmanship-in-Office of the OSCE, Mrkic said that this was a good day for Serbia.

Mrkic said that he, together with Burkhalter, explained the workplan for the next two-year period.
"It can already be said, according to the initial reactions which were quite numerous, that we seem to have got most of it right. Our proposal has been supported", the Serbian Foreign Minister noted with satisfaction.
He underlined that the proposal of consecutive Chairmanships-in-Office was not only supported in general, but also in detail.
"Serbia, which has been known only for its troubles until some years ago, is now coming to the fore and taking the responsibility for addressing the situation not only in its own region, but will deal also with problems across Europe and Eurasia, since the OSCE stretches from Vladivostok to Vancouver", Mrkic underlined.
The Serbian Foreign Minister met in Vienna, today, also with OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, with whom he discussed the forthcoming municipal elections in Kosovo. This topic, he said, was raised also during the debate at the OSCE Permanent Council, but it was not a central agenda item.
Mrkic said that he discusses with Zannier what kind of role the OSCE could play and what specific actions could be carried out by the OSCE in the conduct of municipal elections in Kosovo and Metohija, primarily in northern municipalities.
"Knowing that the OSCE has played a very good role in the past, I believe that we will, once again, be organized in such a way as to ensure that as many as possible our fellow Serbs go to the poles in Kosovo and Metohija, and cast their votes once the elections have been held", he emphasized, expressing his conviction that agreement on elections would be reached in the coming days.
Mrkic noted with satisfaction and pride that Serbia succeeded in the past year to such an extent in settling the situation in the region and developing good neighbourly relations with all countries, that one can say that, from the historical point of view, it had never had relations of such quality and substance with its neighbours.
"Such behaviour on the part of Serbia has contributed to a far better atmosphere and concrete cooperation which has been developing on a daily basis in the region", he explained.

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Mrkic: Good neighbourly relations further improved in the past year

Mrkic: Anticipated OSCE support at the coming municipal elections in Kosovo