First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic met today with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Republic of Serbia Constantinos Eliades.

The talks, conducted in cordial atmosphere, confirmed that the bilateral relations between the two states were based on firm friendship, historical closeness and solidarity between two peoples and two states.

The collocutors expressed firm and principled mutual support to the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia and of the Republic of Cyprus respectively. The Cypriot side expressed full support to the process of European integration of the Republic of Serbia.
The Republic of Serbia follows with grave concern the developments in the eastern Mediterranean and condemns all activities which are not in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Republic of Serbia supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Cyprus, including Cyprus' sovereign rights to explore and use natural resources in its exclusive economic zone. All economic activities in this zone may be carried out only with the approval of the Cypriot authorities and respecting international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Turkey is expected to act in line with fundamental principles of international law in order to avoid heightening of tensions and deterioration of security situation in the region.

Faced with her own problems and the need to defend its national interests, the Republic of Serbia firmly advocates dialogue as the only possible mechanism for peaceful resolution of disputes and, in that connection, points to the need to resist from unilateral acts directly undermining dialogue and possibility to reach a solution.