ĐURIĆ AND RUBIO LAUNCH THE FIRST ROUND OF STRATEGIC DIALOGUE BETWEEN BELGRADE AND WASHINGTON

BELGRADE, JULY 17 /SRNA/ - Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened the first round of strategic dialogue between the two countries.

Đurić said that the first round of strategic dialogue had produced concrete results, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in energy infrastructure and regional energy security, and the Fulbright academic exchange program and Serbia's accession to the Artemis Accords. "History has connected us, and the future calls on us to make that cooperation even stronger. Today, we are not only opening a new format of political dialogue; we are opening a new chapter in relations between Serbia and the United States," Đurić said. Đurić added that the strategic dialogue marks a historic turning point in relations between Serbia and the United States and a step towards restoring bilateral ties, after 145 years of diplomatic relations, to the level befitting two countries that were allies in both world wars. He stressed that particular significance lies in the fact that the first round of strategic dialogue is taking place during the administration of President Donald Trump and at a time when Serbia and the United States share similar views on a number of key international issues, such as the importance of state sovereignty, economic development and energy security.