A reception at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Belgrade marked the U.S. national holiday, Independence Day, and Ambassador Mary Warlick said on that occasion that Washington supported the integration of Serbia into the European Union (EU).

At the same time, in addition to the 235th anniversary of the birthday of the United States, this year will also mark the 130th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Serbia.

Our 130 year long history of partnership and friendship continues today when the U.S. supports the integration of Serbia into Europe, and when Serbia as a regional leader contributes to resolving regional and global issues, Warlick said.

A common tendency toward political freedoms is at the foundation of the long friendship and partnership between the two states, Warlick said, adding that both countries supported a broad range of individual rights, privileges and values.

The U.S. ambassador said that over the 18 months of her stay in Serbia, she had seen that the country's government was working hard to secure those freedoms for its citizens.

Warlick recalled the year 1881, when the then Serbian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Finance Cedomilj Mijatovic and American diplomat Eugene Schuyler signed the Consular Convention and the Commercial Agreement between Serbia and the United States.

In the recent past we have experienced certain challenges, but I firmly believe that the United States and Serbia now share the same vision for the future of this country and the entire region, said the U.S. ambassador.

The reception was attended by Serbia's Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic, Deputy Prime Minister Jovan Krkobabic, Minister of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning Oliver Dulic, Minister of Youth and Sport Snezana Samardzic-Markovic, Minister of Education and Science Zarko Obradovic, Minister of Agriculture Dusan Petrovic and Minister of Religion and Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic.

Also among the guests were representatives of political parties, NGOs, media, religious communities, sports and other states' ambassadors in Belgrade.