Djuric: Foundations are being laid for much better relations between Serbia and the United States

The moment we are in is tragic because the Serbs in Kosovo are facing unprecedented persecution and suffering, with the aim of forcibly expelling them from there. That's why we brought the struggle for Kosovo to Washington, to make the truth heard in the heart of the US capital, Marko Djuric, the Ambassador of Serbia to the United States said, who hosted the conference "Prayer for peace, stability, and justice" dedicated to Kosovo.

"We brought our fight for Kosovo and Metohija to Washington, to the heart of the US capital because it is the right time for the truth to be heard about what is happening, and also to mobilize the Serbian community, which numbers more than a million people in the US, to react, to be informed about the facts, and to be inspired and motivated to engage with their elected representatives," Djuric stated for Kosovo Online.

He emphasized that during the past few days, he had had discussions with representatives of the "think tank" community, and academic and non-governmental organizations, which are highly influential, presenting to them the situation in Kosovo. He also conducted a briefing for diplomats from more than 40 countries.

"We provided them with detailed information about the situation, showed video footage that includes an 11-year-old boy wounded in the stomach and elderly women beaten, and everything that has been happening in the last two to three years. We did this in a very precise and concise manner, supported by facts," Djuric explained.

The conference itself brought together Serbs from all over the US, and leaders of Serbian organizations, to make them aware of the situation and motivate them to take action.

"The gathering included representatives of the Serbs from Kosovo, some of the voices of the Serbs, people from the judiciary, the rector of the University in Pristina with headquarters in Kosovska Mitrovica, representatives of civil society, Arnaud Gouillon, and Serbian humanitarians from the US, Bishop Irinej because we are working hand in hand with our church. The goal is for everyone to come together and take action. There are also representatives of lobbying companies that Serbia has engaged, which will help the leaders of Serbian organizations in the US to better organize, connect, and familiarize them with effective political action, to strengthen their position and thus ours," Djuric said.

This is an ambitious gathering, he says, the second in just a few months, organized by the Embassy of Serbia in the United States to strengthen ties within the Serbian community, with the support of President Aleksandar Vucic.

When asked about how the US stance towards Serbia had changed during his tenure in the United States, Djuric pointed out that regarding Kosovo and Metohija, the Serbs in the US were still faced with the perception that had been established back in the '90s. That's why the struggle to change this perception was challenging, difficult, and complex.

"It's important that we truly take action, just as we are doing now, but that we have continuity in this work. If we continue like this in the coming years, and as a state, we will ensure that whoever represents Serbia in Washington continues with this policy and way of working, we will achieve good results," Ambassador Djuric is convinced.

He notes that this is a gradual and lengthy process.

"But I am confident that, not in some unidentified, distant future, but in the foreseeable future, we can have a significantly different situation. A new Serbian lobby is being forged here, and the foundations are being laid for much better relations between Serbia and the United States," Djuric stated.

Regarding changes in the US administration, such as the appointment of James O'Brien as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Djuric points out that O'Brien is someone who knows the region very well and will invest a lot of energy in stabilizing and improving the situation, strengthening ties, and understanding what is happening.

As a diplomatic representative of Serbia, he says he will work with O'Brien as one of the US officials dealing with the region, with the desire for more exchanges of visits and more dialogues on all issues in the coming period.

"The more we talk, the better we will understand each other, and it will be easier to correct misunderstandings from the past. I am convinced that the path to the heart of the Serbs, at this moment, leads through supporting the Serbs in Kosovo, whose human rights are endangered, and whose collective rights are not only trampled upon but are actively being worked against," Djuric warned, reminding that there were 11 percent fewer Serbs in Kosovo in the last year.

When asked about the meeting between President Vucic and the "big five," Djuric said that there was no better advocate and representative of Serbian interests in Kosovo than Vucic because he was a person who, when it was the toughest, showed the greatest readiness to fight and make an effort.

"We are waiting to hear from him how the talks went, and we offer our full support to our delegation. The process of the struggle for Kosovo and Metohija does not depend on one day and one meeting. It's a generational task, where responsibility does not lie solely with the president or any individual political representative but with the entire nation. It's everyone's job," Ambassador Djuric stated.