Interview with Dragan Vladisavljevic, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Serbia to Azerbaijan, to APA
- How do you evaluate the development of interstate relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Serbia over the past period?
Azerbaijan-Serbia relations: 30 years of strategic partnership
- Our bilateral relations with Azerbaijan are based on mutual support and understanding. It is evident that the intensity of cooperation and relations between our countries has significantly increased in recent years. This is reflected in the frequency of official visits, the signing of new bilateral agreements, and mutual trade turnover. As regularly noted, the strong friendship between the presidents of both countries has served as a stimulus for the progress of our relations. Close contacts between the leaders of our countries and their initiatives, as well as the joint efforts of the relevant state structures, have led to significant progress in cooperation in the fields of energy and defense between Azerbaijan and Serbia, with significant steps also taken to strengthen relations in other areas. It was a great honor for me to support the implementation of these efforts, together with my Azerbaijani counterpart, for the prosperity of our countries and peoples.
- Up to now, nearly 60 documents have been signed between our countries, including the "Declaration on friendly relations and strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Serbia." Could you briefly review the work done to implement these documents?
60 signed documents: The legal basis of Azerbaijan-Serbia relations
- In total, there are currently around 60 joint documents covering all areas of our bilateral relations. Since these signed documents form the basis of our cooperation, their implementation continues. Of course, agreements in the fields of energy and defense are yielding visible results, as they directly impact mutual trade turnover. However, this does not mean that other documents are ineffective. We hope that the first meeting of the Strategic Cooperation Council, planned for this year, will provide a new impulse for the development of our relations in various areas. Given that the co-chairs of the council are the heads of state of both countries, we expect it to set relevant tasks for the state structures of both nations, thus activating our partnership. The council's meeting will be held within the framework of President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Belgrade, and it will also present an excellent opportunity to sign new bilateral documents. Among these, I would like to highlight the construction of a new gas-fired power plant in Serbia, which involves the implementation of a $500 million project. All documents signed in the past 13 years cover areas such as politics, economics, energy, defense, education, culture, tourism, social protection, and employment.
- The last (VIII) meeting of the Azerbaijan-Serbia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was held in Baku on July 25, 2024. How do you assess its contribution to the development of bilateral relations?
Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation: Giving Impulse to Bilateral Relations
- Our stable political relations, based on sincere friendship, mutual support, and shared views on foreign policy principles, are of great importance. However, it appears that our relations in the economic sphere lag somewhat behind. Therefore, both sides are working to propose initiatives to build or expand cooperation in various sectors of the economy. The activities of the Azerbaijan-Serbia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation are focused on more promising areas such as trade, energy, defense, transportation, and construction. One of the priorities in this regard is, of course, the opening of direct flights between the two capitals, as it will provide a crucial impulse to other areas of our partnership.
- Mr. Ambassador, as officially stated, Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the development of relations with Serbia in the political, economic, and humanitarian sectors. How do you evaluate the prospects for the development of our relations in the above-mentioned areas?
Economic cooperation development: Business forums and investment opportunities
- Despite the high level of our political relations, I believe that in such a complex period, maintaining close and warm relationships with like-minded states and countries is of vital importance. I know that Azerbaijan is pursuing the same policy. I believe that the first meeting of the Strategic Cooperation Council between Azerbaijan and Serbia, which is planned for this year, along with the increasing number of joint contacts, visits, and mutual support, will enhance the development of our political relations in all structures of governance, including executive, legislative, and judicial bodies, and in international arena and other fields. Strengthening economic cooperation, of course, is a more complex issue, as it depends not only on state structures but also on the private sector. In the current situation, the private sector needs more promotion and stimulation to explore opportunities for joint partnerships and investments. The Joint Intergovernmental Commission has taken some steps in this direction, but I believe that specialized business forums, fairs, and mutual visits by representatives of the business community to better familiarize each other with the potential and opportunities of both countries could provide a greater boost to the development of our relations. At the same time, we are also working to achieve progress in partnerships in construction, transportation, and infrastructure, as there is still unused potential in these areas. I believe that exchanges in the fields of culture and tourism are the most effective way to expand cooperation in the humanitarian sector, creating excellent opportunities for our peoples to familiarize themselves with each other's cultural and historical heritage and to strengthen mutual ties
- How do you assess the prospects for mutual high-level visits in the near future?
- The President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has visited Azerbaijan five times. His last visit was to attend the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), where participated in the Leaders' Summit. In this context, he also met with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. We expect President Ilham Aliyev to visit our country officially within this year.
- Considering the strong economic potential of both countries, what actions need to be taken to increase the volume of mutual trade turnover?
Ambassador suggests strengthening potential further
- According to the statistics of the relevant authorities in Serbia, in 2024, the total trade turnover between our country and Azerbaijan exceeded $500 million, which is a significant increase compared to 2023. This indicator was mainly driven by the sale of energy resources. Given the potential we have, there are broad opportunities to improve this indicator. To strengthen our potential further, both sides need to adopt a more active approach.
- At this point, I would like to touch on the global agenda. Although the war between Russia and Ukraine started in February 2022, tensions have been building since 2014. Since then, the political axis of the world has almost completely shifted. The current situation has created serious threats not only for Europe but also for a broader area. In your opinion, what contributions can cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia make to global security under these conditions?
Serbia and Azerbaijan can participate together in global peace initiatives
- Global changes, including the consequences of armed conflicts, undoubtedly affect not only large and influential countries but also Serbia and Azerbaijan. I believe that Serbia and Azerbaijan can actively participate together in global peace initiatives based on the principles of international law and through closer cooperation in multilateral formats. Furthermore, if we consider energy security as an important aspect of collective security, I believe that our existing cooperation in this field can significantly contribute to creating stability in such an unstable environment.
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