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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Improving political, economic cooperation with Algeria

Belgrade, 24 March 2018

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic assessed today after meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria Abdelkader Messahel that Serbia and Algeria are brotherly countries, as well as their two peoples, and that they are linked by friendship and cooperation that has lasted for more than 50 years, which in economic terms should be improved.

Dacic said at a joint press conference with Messahel at the Palace of Serbia that Serbia is interested in continuing and intensifying political contacts with Algeria at the high and highest level, and that it expects the development of economic cooperation, because we think there is plenty of room there.

He recalled that in the past, big Serbian companies worked in Algeria, and that now the foreign trade exchange of the two countries is just over €30 million, which is small in comparison to possibilities.

The First Deputy Prime Minister announced for June or July this year a meeting of the intergovernmental economic committee of the two countries, which should be an incentive for further successful work in that area. Also, Dacic thanked Algeria for its principled position not to recognise the independence of Kosovo.

We should support each other in the international bodies and the efforts to reach a solution through dialogue with the UN. It is very important, since we are geographically far away, to inform each other about the situation in our and your region. We want to support a peaceful solution to the problem of the Western Sahara, primarily through the UN, Dacic said.

He added that cooperation in the field of defence and military industry is very good, and that Serbia is interested in the air transport agreement and is ready to cooperate in the fight against terrorism and the exchange of security information.

Recalling a great military, political and other support of the former Yugoslavia in the fight for independence of Algeria, Messahel said that his country, despite pressures, did not recognize Kosovo, because it has always supported the territorial integrity of Serbia.

He said that Serbian companies in Algeria are welcome to compete in infrastructure development tenders because they are competitive and have their place in that country, which has launched numerous construction projects.

Algeria's Foreign Minister also said that the situation in relation to the Western Sahara must be resolved within the UN, and that this is a "decolonisation issue", and that the issue of the right to autonomy and the issue of territorial integrity are two different things.

Messahel recalled that the cooperation between Algeria and Yugoslavia was remarkable, as Yugoslavia also provided political support in the field of human resources training, adding that the relations of the two countries could be an example to others.

Dacic and Messahel signed the Agreement on Cooperation between Serbia and Algeria in the field of youth and sports for the period 2018-2020 at the Palace of Serbia.

Also, the Foreign Minister of Algeria and Serbian Minister of Environmental Protection Goran Trivan signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries in the area of environmental protection, sustainable development and renewable energy sources, which will enable the exchange of know-how, experience and the strengthening of bilateral relations.