Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stated today that Serbia considers the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to be a strategic partner in consolidating peace, democracy and security in the region and the fight against organised crime.

At a special session of the Permanent Council of OSCE in Vienna Jeremic said that Serbia will spare no efforts to eliminate the roots of these threats to our security.

Final success, however, cannot be achieved without a stronger multilateral commitment, because organised crime is like a virus: it spread where it meets the weakest resistance, the Minister said, adding that this is a transnational problem.

He said that Serbia currently chairs the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII), Central European Initiative (CEI) and the Process of South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).

He also announced that 300 deputies of the Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE, which will have its 20th annual meeting from 6 to 10 July, will be hosted in Belgrade.

To build a better future for the region it is crucial to promote good neighbourly relations, the Minister said and added that the new level of trust and understanding has been established while key bilateral relations have visibly improved.

In this regard it is important that regional cooperation is not politicised or connected with the diplomatic disagreement over outstanding issues, said the Minister,

He pointed to the importance of solving problems by consensus, as otherwise problems will occur again and again.

This should also apply to the current dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, he said, adding that the dialogue is seen as a prelude to a fair and balanced solution acceptable to all.

He said that the priorities of the Serbian presidency and regional initiatives will be addressing the issue of refugees and internally displaced persons, and the intention is to strengthen cooperation with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro.

The agenda will include human and minority rights, the Minister said, adding that some areas of our country are even ahead the EU standards in this field.

Jeremic said that this is especially important in the context of the Roma as they make one of the most vulnerable groups in Europe.

He reiterated that Belgrade has worked hard to promote the inclusion of Roma and their greater involvement in political life.

The Minister said that Serbia will work on strengthening the cooperation of three regional organisations and other multilateral institutions.

Belgrade will work on strengthening the orientation of the Council for regional cooperation towards projects, with the special emphasis on modernisation of infrastructure.

Modernisation of electrical network is of vital importance, as well as reconstruction of railway together with road and river network, Jeremic pointed out.

Another focus will be on the EU, and Serbia will work on deepening institutional dialogue between Brussels and all regional organisations it will preside over in 2011 and 2012, Jeremic added.

We will continue to encourage the European Commission to declare Danube river basin and the Adriatic-Ionian area the official macro regions of the EU, the Minister noted.

He underlined that Serbia took the lead on the road of changes and stated that that is the only way in which we can stop the vicious circle of hatred, violence and instability and ensure that they never again become part of our political imagination.