The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, today informed Parliamentary Assemblies of the Council of Europe and OSCE that the Republic of Serbia was continuing membership hitherto held by Serbia and Montenegro in these organisations, as well as assuming all rights and responsibilities of the former State Union.

‘I have the honour of informing you that membership of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in the Council of Europe, including all its bodies and instruments, was being continued by the Republic of Serbia under Article 60 of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro, the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Montenegrin parliament on 3 June 2006, and the Decision of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia on Obligations of Public Authorities of the Republic of Serbia in Assuming Powers of the Republic of Serbia as Successor State to the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro of 5 June 2006. Therefore, the title “Republic of Serbia” shall henceforth be used instead of “Serbia and Montenegro”’, read letters sent by Mr Markovic to the Speaker of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, René Van Der Linden, and the Speaker of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Alcee L. Hastings.