The details were added after the third paragraph (the first version was posted at 12:25)
Azerbaijan, Baku, May 5 / Trend S.Agayeva /
Serbian President Boris Tadic received Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who was on a two-day official visit to Belgrade, on May 4.
Mammadyarov also met with Serbian Parliamentary Speaker Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic and Labor and Social Policy Minister Rasim Ljajic.
During the meeting, Tadic stressed the existing friendly relations between the two countries' leaders. Tadic voiced satisfaction over Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's upcoming visit to his country on June 8-9. He believes Aliyev's visit will serve to deepen the cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
Tadic reiterated that Serbia supports Azerbaijan's sovereignty, the country's territorial integrity and the country's just position on resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He was also grateful for Azerbaijan's support to Serbia over the Kosovo issue.
Touching upon Serbian-Azerbaijani economic relations, the Serbian president said that despite the revival of these relations over the last year, the potential is not fully used.
The two governments and relevant organizations have a great responsibility to raise these relations to a higher level.
Azerbaijan has an important geo-strategic importance. It has great energy potential. Azerbaijan pursues a balanced policy in the international arena and in the energy sphere. Serbia is interested in developing the relations with Azerbaijan in these areas, Tadic said.
Mammadyarov gave detailed information on the political, socio-economic situation in the country, the democratic reforms, Aliyev's successful domestic and foreign policy to maintain political stability and economic development and that people fully support this policy.
The Minister informed about Armenia's aggressive policy against Azerbaijan, the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands. He added that Armenia has not fulfilled the requirements of the UN four resolutions on the unconditional release of lands and the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group to resolve the conflict. He also stressed the importance of resolving this conflict peacefully within the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of borders and in accordance with international law.
Touching upon the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Serbia, Mammadyarov said that, despite the recent expansion of the economic cooperation between the countries, this area is less developed compared to the existing potential. There is great potential for cooperation.
During a meeting with the chairman of the Serbian parliament Djukic Dejanovic, Mammadyarov informed about the political, socio-economic situation in Azerbaijan, the ongoing democratic reforms, the political stability, the economic development, the activities of the Azerbaijani parliament, including the activities of the Azerbaijan-Serbia Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group in the parliament, meetings within the visit to Serbia.
Djukic Dejanovic said that despite the friendly relations and cooperation, there is great potential for developing the relations in other areas, including the development of the interparliamentary relations. She added that the parliaments of both countries have important obligations to raise bilateral relations to a higher level. She supported the idea of the importance of promoting the inter-parliamentary relations for the sake of developing the bilateral relations. She also said that she supports the just position of Azerbaijan in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia.
The same day, Mammadyarov met with Prime Minister of Serbia Mirko Cvetkovic. During the meeting, Cvetkovic expressed regret that the Serbian-Azerbaijani economic relations and the trade turnover between the countries are at a low level. They do not meet the economic potential of both countries. She stressed the importance of comprehensive development of the relations in various spheres between the two countries, especially the importance of expanding the economic ties. Prime Minister said that he attaches great importance to the Serbian-Azerbaijani relations, and is interested primarily in the development of relations in the field of oil, chemicals, energy, etc.
Cvetkovic also informed about the integration of Serbia in various international organizations, including the European Union, the measures to bring the legislation of the country into line with European standards. Cvetkovic said that he signed free trade agreements with such countries as Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey. He expressed a desire to develop the same cooperation with Azerbaijan and sign the same document.
Mammadyarov told Cvetkovic about economic reforms in Azerbaijan, which are successfully implemented in the country and the large foreign investments in the country's economy. He gave the detailed information that the country has initiated a number of major strategic and regional projects, primarily in the areas of energy and that Azerbaijan is a country which implements these projects. Mammadyarov said that he supports the development of economic relations with Serbia.
During a meeting with the First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, Mammadyarov spoke about bilateral Azerbaijani-Serbian relations. He said that there are broad opportunities for expanding the relations in various fields and the need to strengthen these ties on the basis of mutual national interests.
During the meeting the sides exchanged views on combating terrorism and organized crime, security in the globalizing world and other urgent issues.
Mammadyarov's next meeting was held with one of the leaders of the Muslim community of Serbia, chairman of the Serbian Social Democratic Party, the representative of Muslim community of Sandzak region of Serbia, Minister of Labour and Social Policy of Serbia, Rasim Ljajic.
Ljajic expressed his gratitude for humanitarian assistance rendered to Serbian refugees who found shelter in the city of Novi Sad - the center of Vojvodina region, including assisting the hospital of single mothers and children, acting at the foundation of the well-being of newborns, children and adolescents, which is located in the city of Belgrade. He expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani state, government, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the leadership of the country for humanitarian assistance. He stressed that the Serbian government highly appreciated this act.
The Serbian side expressed its gratitude to the Azerbaijani state, government and leadership for carrying out the work to improve the Tašmajdan Park, located in Belgrade. He said that this project is a clear example of friendship between the two countries and will serve as a rapprochement between the two peoples.
The same day, Mammadyarov visited the mausoleum of former Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito.
Mammadyarov arrived in the Azerbaijani embassy in Serbia and met with the staff of the embassy, representatives of the Azerbaijani Diaspora in Serbia, members of the cultural center of Azerbaijan and with members of the Serbo-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and Economic.
After completing a two-day official visit to Serbia, Mammadyarov headed from Belgrade to the city of Podgorica - the capital of Montenegro.
