Vucevic: Serbia highly values the principled position of Cyprus regarding the non-recognition of Kosovo's independence

Minister of Defense Milos Vucevic met with the Minister of Defense of Cyprus Michalis Giorgallas and stated that Serbia highly valued the principled position of that country when it came to not recognizing the independence of Kosovo.

Vucevic stated on Instagram that Serbia and Cyprus, in addition to closeness and friendship, shared a position in relation to the necessity of consistent compliance with the principles of international law.

"During today's talks, we had the opportunity to exchange views on current security issues in Europe and the world, especially on our province of Kosovo and Metohija, Cyprus, and the Middle East," Vucevic said.

As he added, the continuity of intensive contacts at the level of the ministries of defense in the previous period created a strong basis for the realization of common intentions.

"Serbia will continue to advocate for a peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and members of the Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Army will continue to engage dedicatedly and professionally within the UN multinational operation (UNFICYP)," Vucevic added.

As announced by the Ministry of Defense, Vucevic, in his address after the meeting, expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Cyprus for his hospitality and constructive discussions and added that the level of cooperation in the field of defense between the two countries was at a high level, but also that he saw room for its further improvement in the domain of military-military and military-economic cooperation.

Giorgallas welcomed Vucevic and emphasized the long-standing and strong ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, adding that he was satisfied with the cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense and security.

"Our two countries have been cooperating for a decade in the field of armaments. The defense industry of Serbia has provided valuable support to our armed forces. This cooperation is based on mutual trust and contributes to our overall bilateral relations," Giorgallas said.

He said that Vucevic had informed him about the latest developments in the north of Kosovo.

"We are closely following the latest developments in Kosovo and Metohija. The recent clashes between the police and ethnic Serbs in the area, which were caused by Pristina's attempts to forcefully access municipal buildings, are a source of great concern. We call for de-escalation and continued participation in a constructive dialogue led by the European Union. Allow me to emphasize that Cyprus stands by its principled position on non-recognition of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence," Giorgallas stressed.