Mrkic: Visit to Mongolia chance to explain essence of agreement

ULAN BATOR – Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic stated on Sunday that his visit to Mongolia is an opportunity for him to familiarize representatives of many countries with the essence of the Belgrade-Pristina agreement, in order to make it clear that the document does not imply recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

“It is very important for our interlocutors to understand what we have done and that there be no doubts as to our goals. We want all our friends who have supported us so far to keep supporting us, and we are explaining the essence of the agreement reached with Pristina so that there is no dilemma and that no one things that we are heading toward Pristina’s recognition,” Mrkic told Tanjug in the Mongolian capital.

He added that there is a conference in Ulan Bator with more than 100 countries participating. The meeting will be attended by more than 5- ministers, 18 of whom from Europe.

“EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and ministers from America, Latin America and Africa. This is an opportunity for us to talk with a number of participants, primarily about what has happened in the last few weeks in Serbia and what the result of the Brussels agreement is,” Mrkic noted.

The Serbian delegation will use this visit to deliver President Tomislav Nikolic’s letters primarily relating to the Brussels agreement.

Minister Mrkic announced that he will have a number of bilateral meetings with Mongolian officials, including their Prime Minister, President and Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Energy.

Mrkic departed for Mongolia on Saturday to participate in the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies.

The three-day conference in Ulan Bator is hosted by President of Mongolia Tsakhia Elbegdorj with the participation of foreign ministers, as well as officials of international organizations and parliamentary representatives.

Agenda of the plenary sessions will include democracy, transition, civil society and the fight against corruption. The final session of the conference will result in the adoption of Ulaanbaatar Ministerial Declaration and Mongolia will officially hand over the presidency over the Community of Democracies to Salvador.

The Community of Democracies is an international coalition of democratic countries which aims to promote and strengthen democratic standards and institutions across the world. It was established in Warsaw in 2000.