In an exclusive interview to Nase Novine newspaper Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic reveals that at long last, ambassadors to Washington, Berlin and Beijing will be appointed in January 2014, and that a total of 62 officials from all ministries who are currently undergoing training will be lobbying for Serbia as from the 21st of January. The Serbian most senior diplomat admits also that he has been in daily contact with his predecessor, Vuk Jeremic, and he has had communication over the phone with the European officials like Catherine Ashton and Stefan Fuele, even a few times a day.

When you look back at 2013 do you feel content? How would you score your own performance?
- I leave the scores to others, but I and my team have tried our best to do the job we have been entrusted with as professionally as we could. I think that we could have done even better. Nevertheless, I am proud of the position of our country in the international arena today and the way we have been treated by others. In my thirty-five-year career I have lived to see Serbia respected, that it be spoken about in the most positive terms possible, something that has not happened in the past. Unlike the previous periods, Serbia is asked for opinion now. We have been treated as a country creating problems, and now they are asking us about the international crisis, about the settlement of disputes... Serbia has been elected to membership of ECOSOC, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, a clear indication of Serbia's treatment today. We have excellent relations with the European capitals, daily communication with EU officials. We consult with Catherine Ashton, Stefan Fuele, and until recently with Guido Westerwelle as well, every week... Furthermore, we have developed good relations with China, Moscow, Washington... You had a situation where Beijing had replaced all its leaders, and the new Chinese leadership invited the President of Serbia to visit first! Now we are thinking about the President's tour of Southeast Asia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos, which is the catalyst for the whole region, because that is where the biggest world's hydro power stations have been built, and that visit may open up many business opportunities.

While Vuk Jeremic was in office, the focus of diplomacy was on lobbying against Kosovo's independence. What is its focus today?
- We have continued to work on what Jeremic had been doing; not only has the serious handling of this topic remained unabated, but has further intensified. At the same time, we have worked on improving the relations with the countries in the region because there is so much that we share in common. What brings us together will come to the forefront when the entire area joins the EU and we will be able to draw numerous benefits from it.

Talking about Jeremic, are you in touch with him, do you consult regarding the adoption of important decisions?
- Yes, we are in touch. We are in permanent communication. When I have a dilemma, I consult with people with a greater amount of expertise in a particular area. But big decisions are always taken by the Government. I participate in the Government meetings with proposals, which are authentic and my own. I have 35 years of professional experience behind me and I am not very likely to be confused when it comes to foreign policy topics.

You mentioned the Government. How much effect does politics have on diplomacy? Is that an impediment to your work?
- I joined the foreign service when it was headed by Josip Vrhovec, whose ultimate superior was Tito. Now you see how long a memory I have. And there is no doubt whatsoever that never in history has our diplomacy had such a level of independence as it enjoys today. I can explain this by the rational reasoning of the ruling parties which understand that what is most important is the system and that the state is more important than any of the parties individually. Therefore, I assure you with utmost responsibility that it does not affect me, for example, if someone "of influence" calls, asking me to hire someone. I was also appointed this way; the Serbian Progressive Party had confidence and broadness in approach when it appointed me as Foreign Minister, although I was not their member. Professionalism and state interests were obviously most important to them.

Nevertheless, it seems to be different in practice. The latest example is: Danica Draskovic's godchild Snezana Miljanic was appointed as Consul General in Munich. How do you see frequent remarks that the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) is shaping the human resources policy at the Foreign Ministry?
- S. Miljanic spent 4-5 years as Secretary General in the MFA. Incidentally, if I had an ideal solution at all times, I would go for it. Sometimes you don't have it, because no one works on it. For one and a half decades "outsiders", people from parties or interest groups, were hired to fill diplomatic posts that require professionals. In Serbia, everyone likes to be an ambassador. I don't think that there is any Serb who thinks they could not be an ambassador. Against such a background, I should produce mere professionals! That's not realistic. I am making my best effort; I proposed almost 100 per cent professionals and they passed.

So, has SPO taken up the human resources policy in you Ministry?
- That is absolute nonsense. I assure you that, in principle, I am in charge of human resources. Some others, prone to myths, may fantasize, but the decisions are made by the Minister. It is a fact that some people who joined the Foreign Ministry at the time of Vuk Draskovic, remained there. Well, I joined the Ministry in Tito's time; does that mean that Tito is pulling the strings from the above?

You recalled many ambassadors, which stirred a lot of sentiments. What played the decisive role, their political affiliation or professional incompetence?
- What matters to me is whether the ambassadors are doing a good job, and not whether they are members of some party. I don't even know who the members of parties are; they openly declare themselves later on. And when I tell them that some other members of that same party remained in the service, they are taken aback. Those who know their job stay and those who do not are recalled. And that was the sole criterion for recall. A competent, devoted and modest ambassador will have no problems. Some even qualify themselves as "the best diplomats", which a proper diplomat would never do.

Are some of the ambassadors appointed by DS worthy of being diplomats again, for example, Zorica Tomic?
- Zorica had an excellent record of performance. I saw her work; I saw that she was good, popular, and that she knew how to disseminate the state policy in an attractive way.

You recalled Ambassadors to Washington, Beijing and Berlin. New ones have not yet been appointed. You complained of not having appropriate candidates, which – according to many comments – projected Serbia in a negative light. There is an intermission between the recall and appointment of ambassadors. That is a diplomatic practice. There have practically never been cases of having one ambassador leave and the next arrive on the same day. It is true that a year-long intermission is not good, but we are making continuous efforts to find someone who would be excellent for the job. I have two candidates for Washington and I think that there will soon be a third one. We will resolve that in January and that is not a significant delay. I also have an idea for NATO. We do not have an ambassador in China, but we do have an excellent Charge d'Affaires.

Are you by any chance keeping that place for yourself?
- No, and I can vouch it for you. But after I have proposed one candidate or another, after giving it some more thought, it turns out that it is not the best solution. As I said, we have an excellent Charge d'Affaires in Beijing, who has a degree in the Chinese language, who grew and was shaped in the Foreign Ministry and whose performance is excellent. The Chinese are also very much satisfied with her.

Are the relations with China on the decline because of that?
- No, they are not and whoever says anything else does not understand the niche.

We have received the date for starting the EU negotiations. Will you intensify the lobbying for Serbia after 21 January?
- A significant part of our system will be focused on the alignment with the EU standards. We are now preparing people who will easily be able to negotiate and present our positions. On that day, there will only be the official, ceremonial part, whereas the real "digging" will start later. All the Ministries are setting up their teams; our Mission to the EU in Brussels comprises some twenty people and we will have to reinforce that. But we will also have to adjust ourselves to the possibilities, because we know that Minister Lazar Krstic does not like extensive spending. However, if we want successful negotiations, we must reinforce the human resources. Currently, 26 young diplomats are being trained at the Diplomatic Academy; we are also preparing a total of 36 people from other ministries.

Is there anything that can slow our accession on the EU path? Like recognition of the independence of Kosovo, for instance?
- Kosovo will not be a stumbling block, and all those who are saying to the contrary do not understand the essence of the issue. We must ensure that people there have better living conditions, unimpeded movement, and life without interruption... But we are not going to recognize Kosovo.

What is your opinion of awarding the Nobel Prize to Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci?
- I would like him to receive that award, because that would be a recognition of Serbia. Remember how Serbia was qualified until recently. Now imagine the Prime Minister of that infamous Serbia receive the biggest award in international relations. Those who see that as a step in the direction of recognizing the independence of Kosovo are wrong.

What have you been undertaking with regard to the rights of Serbs in Croatia? The issue of the Cyrillic alphabet is a big problem.
- Everything possible. Minister Vesna Pusic is also doing her best and even distancing herself from the controversial acts. When those who consider themselves better Serbs than I, ask me what I have undertaken, I ask them what is it that I should do to have a war with Zagreb. Nonsense and ridiculous! I am doing my best, in cooperation with the authorities there, so that these negative occurrences never happen again.

What are the specific results of your work over the past year?
- From 1 January we will be assisting Switzerland in its OSCE Chairmanship, which is a great recognition for Serbia, and during our 2015 Chairmanship, the OSCE will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act and all the Participating States from Vancouver to Vladivostok will be in Belgrade. And with a bit of luck and good will, we will have a document that will provide the guidelines for further building of the European future, based on the new security architecture.