Japan-Serbia Relations
Courtesy Call on Prime Minister VUČEVIĆ of the Republic of Serbia by Foreign Minister KAMIKAWA
July 18, 2024
On July 18, commencing at 10:00 a.m. local time (5:00 p.m. JST) for approximately 50 minutes, Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Miloš VUČEVIĆ, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia during her visit to the Republic of Serbia. The overview is as follows.
- At the outset, Prime Minister Vučević welcomed Minister Kamikawa's visit to Serbia and expressed his gratitude to Japan for its support under the "Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative".
- Minister Kamikawa congratulated Prime Minister Vučević on his assumption of office in May, and referring to his efforts to attract Japanese companies to Novi Sad, the second largest city in Serbia when he served as the mayor of the city, she requested his continued support for Japanese companies in Serbia.
Minister Kamikawa then stated that Japan seeks a peaceful world where the dignity of every person is respected, and pointed out the importance of promoting intra-regional cooperation and integrating the Western Balkans into Europe in order for the Western Balkans to enjoy peace and stability, and expressed her hope that the various assistance Japan is providing under the "Western Balkans Cooperation Initiative" leads to the overall development of the Western Balkans.
The both sides then concurred to further develop good bilateral relations, particularly economic relations, including by taking the opportunity of Serbia's participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. - Prime Minister Vučević explained the current situation of the Western Balkans including the situation of Kosovo. In response, Minister Kamikawa stated that Japan supports the resolution of issues through the EU-mediated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, and that it is important for all parties to faithfully fulfil their respective obligations under this dialogue. The both sides agreed on the importance of peace and stability of the Western Balkan region and the dialogue to achieve it.