At its session held on 12 April, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia endorsed the Report on International Co-operation of the National Assembly in 2004.

The Report details contacts made by the Chairman, delegations and deputies of the National Assembly with parliamentary delegations, members of foreign parliaments, and other international partners.

The year 2004 saw greater international co-operation on the part of the National Assembly and its working bodies and deputies. A total of 129 meetings were held in Serbia with officials of foreign parliaments, international organisations and embassies, while deputies made 28 official visits abroad, mostly to international conferences. During the period covered by the Report, 26 seminars, organised by international organisations, were held in Serbia, with the participation of deputies and employees of the Serbian parliament.

At the session, the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Gordana Comic, initiated the formation of Friendship Groups. She explained that, formally, such Friendship Groups should be the responsibility of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, but that, due to the de facto situation, Serbia had undertaken the job.

Friendship Groups are formed to facilitate inter-parliamentary co-operation. All deputies who wish to do so, and who have contacts with parliaments of other countries, may take part in them. So far, contacts have been established with the United States, Russia, and countries in the region – Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Macedonia, Albania and Slovenia.

Committee members resolved to initiate the formation of Friendship Groups, and agreed to send a letter to all embassies in Serbia proposing the establishment of co-operation with their parliaments. At its next session, the Foreign Affairs Committee is to determine the manner of functioning of the Friendship Groups.