In the meeting between Senator Christopher Murphy and the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the National Assembly standing delegation to OSCE PA, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic said that Serbia strives to strengthen relations with both the east and the west. She said that Serbia is committed to the European integration process which, Djurovic explained, is evident in the wide political and social consensus on Serbia’s European future. Aleksandra Djurovic briefed the US Senate’s delegation on Foreign Affairs Committee’s cooperation with the parliamentary committees of the countries in the region, opining that it contributed both to strengthening parliamentary dialogue and jointly addressing the issue of refugees.

Addressing the members of the National Assembly’s delegation, Senator Christopher Murphy opined that Serbia has achieved considerable progress in the fight against corruption and in suppressing the black market. He said that the US stands ready to offer Serbia assistance in the European integration process, adding that US companies were interested in investing into the Serbian market. Senator Murphy offered Serbia assistance as regards energy safety and development of its own energy resources.

The Head of the National Assembly standing delegation to OSCE PA, Dr Dijana Vukomanovic, and standing delegation member Gordana Comic informed Senator Murphy about Serbia’s upcoming chairmanship of the OSCE, saying that Serbia wished to contribute to the preservation of national security and safety of the OSCE member states, with a special focus on maintaining security in the region.

The meeting was also attended by member of the National Assembly standing delegation to OSCE PA Zoran Babic and substitute member Irena Aleksic.

***

The members of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the US also met with US Senator Christopher Murphy. The US Senator and the US Ambassador to Belgrade Michael Kirby were welcomed by Zoran Babic who stressed that Serbia had chosen its way and it is the way leading to the European Union. He emphasised the common commitment to the fight against terrorism, expressing his pleasure that H.E. Michael Kirby had broached another current topic – the common fight against the spread of Ebola.

The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the US, Biljana Pantic Pilja, briefed the Senator on the scope of duties, activities and membership of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with the US, which is among the biggest in the National Assembly. She was exceptionally pleased that the US and Serbia currently enjoy the best bilateral relations to date.

Senator Murphy said that, as a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, he strongly opposes the Islamic terrorists’ provocations. Speaking of the situation in Ukraine, Murphy thanked Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic for taking a clear position on the Ukrainian crisis.

He also congratulated Serbia on its definite decision to stay on the road to Euro-integration, as well as its future chairmanship of OSCE seeing it as a great opportunity for Serbia.