At the very beginning of the meeting, Vesna Markovic said that the political relations between the two countries are traditionally good and friendly and that there are no outstanding bilateral issues. The opening of embassies in both countries and a number of high-level meetings, primarily those of the two countries’ presidents, speakers of parliament, foreign ministers, as well as parliamentarians, have greatly contributed to the improvement of relations.

The numerous agreements signed, as well as those still in some stage of preparation, provide a good basis for the establishing intensive cooperation in many areas.

Saying that the 30-member PFG with Kazakhstan enjoys excellent cooperation with their Kazakh counterparts, she opined that there is room to expand parliamentary cooperation to include the two countries’ parliamentary committees. Markovic thanked Kazakhstan for supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The Ambassador thanked his hosts for the opportunity to get acquainted with the delegation, stating that Kazakhstan sees Serbia as a sincere friend and that this friendship has been strengthened by cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral level. He agreed with the head of the delegation that there is huge potential to strengthen the ties between the two countries through economic cooperation, adding that Kazakhstan is a very interesting destination for Serbian entrepreneurs, given its geopolitical position. He also pointed out the field of culture as an important factor of cooperation, adding that, according to unofficial data, about 2,000 Serbian citizens live in Kazakhstan, many of whom are athletes. In that regard, he mentioned cooperation in the field of tourism and the establishment of a direct airline between Kazakhstan and Serbia. He also spoke about the large Serbian companies operating in Kazakhstan and working on important projects in the country. He went on to announce the visit of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and signing of new agreements between the two countries. The Ambassador took the opportunity to present the Kazakh candidate for July’s election of OSCE PA Vice-President.   

Delegation members Prof. Dr Zarko Obradovic, Dusica Stojkovic and Predrag Rajic talked with the Ambassador about current topics, such as military industry cooperation, marking the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Serbia and Kazakhstan and meetings of parliamentarians as an opportunity to exchange experiences.