Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, will host the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Vuk Jeremic for bilateral meeting on 30 August 2010 in Pretoria. Mr Jeremic arrives in South Africa on Sunday, 29 August 2010.
The meeting follows an agreement reached during a ministerial bilateral meeting which was held on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa earlier this year where Minister Nkoana-Mashabane agreed to host the Serbian Foreign Minister, Mr Jeremic in an Official visit.
The visit will present a platform for the two countries to share experiences and lessons learnt from each country and region (Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union (AU) and Balkans and Western Balkans) peace, democratisation and development processes.
The visit will also see the two countries reviewing their bilateral relations and strengthening their political, economic and cultural relations and facilitate the identification of priority areas for cooperation in line with the two countries’ national development priorities.
The bilateral meeting will therefore contribute to the strengthening of bilateral political and economic relations between South Africa and Serbia.
Topical issues such as the status strengthening of political, economic and cultural relations, draft agreements on Waiver of Visa on diplomatic and official holders of passport, avoidance of double taxation and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on law enforcement cooperation, education and skills development, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) issues and Kosovo unilateral declaration of independence and the report of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are expected will be discussed.
South Africa and Serbia share similar values on many international issues and have supported each other's candidatures for non-permanent seats at the United Nations Security Council and on the Human Rights Council.
Besides its European Union ambitions, Serbia is using all available diplomatic and legal means to continue to fight to preserve the territorial integrity over Kosovo and one priority is the regional relations, including protecting the rights of Serbs in the Balkans.
South Africa and Serbia share similar values on many international issues and have supported each other’s candidatures for non-permanent seats at the United Nations Security Council and on the Human Rights Council.
Several Serbian Ministers have visited South Africa since 2005, including Predrag Bubalo (Economic Affairs) and Vojislav Vukcevic (Diaspora). Minister Vuk Jeremic attended the inauguration of President Zuma in May 2009. No ministerial visits to Serbia by South Africa have taken place as yet.
Note to editors: media programme
Monday, 30 August 2010
09h55: Arrival at OR Tambo Building
Photo opportunity
Meetings take place in the absence of the media
12h00: Press conference
Members of the media interested in covering the deliberations are requested to RSVB for accreditation before the end of business tomorrow by sending their name and surname, identity (ID) or passport number and name of the institution to:
Curtis Singo
E-mail: SingoC@dirco.gov.za
Cell: 072 625 7060, 27 August 2010
For more information please contact:
Saul Kgomotso Molobi
Cell: +27 82 940 1647
Tel: +27 12 351 0083
E-mail: molobisk@dirco.gov.za
Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to hold a bilateral meeting with Serbia's Foreign Minister, Mr Vuk Jeremic
