The main topic of conversation were the impressions and results of the MPs’ visit to the US realised within the Open World programme.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Prof. Dr Vladimir Marinkovic welcomed Ambassador O’Keefe highlighting the importance of the programme for the improvement of relations with the US. He said that the Open World programme has been attended by 20,000 people who have become promoters of US values in their own countries. Prof. Dr Marinkovic deemed the relations between Serbia in the US very good in the past two years, hoping that the cooperation would continue to intensify, especially in the field of economy. He said that the US is a significant investor into Serbia, adding that Serbia is open to new investments from the US. The National Assembly Deputy Speaker thanked the US for its assistance after the May floods, also commending the cooperation with USAID.

The Head of the Serbian Progressive Party Parliamentary Group, Zoran Babic, opined that the number of people who visited the US via the Open World programme is impressive. He was pleased that the number of open issues between Serbia and the US is dwindling while the number of spheres where the two countries enjoy cooperation is on the rise. Babic was also pleased that Serbia would once again have an accredited ambassador in the US.

Ambassador John O'Keefe hopes that the programme was useful to the MPs, noting that the US congressmen left the meeting with the MPs much better informed about the Serbian Government’s constructive approach and the situation in Serbia and the region. As one of the results of the meeting, O’Keefe said that a congressman has already offered to bring potential agricultural investors to Serbia in spring. He also said he was very pleased with the good cooperation between the US Embassy in Belgrade and the National Assembly.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker MA Igor Becic was pleased by Ambassador O'Keefe’s visit and hopes that the cooperation between the two countries and administration would improve even more in the future.

The meeting was also attended by MPs Marjana Maras, Nevena Stojanovic, Ivan Bauer and Balint Pasztor who said how pleased they were with the visit of the Open World Leadership Center Executive Director, pointing out the significance the programme has for the deepening of cooperation between the two countries.