Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic stated in Nis late on Saturday that there Serbia enjoys worldwide respect although some countries are openly working against its foreign policy priorities and do not like what the country is doing.

Commenting on the decision to award chairmanship over the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to Serbia, Jeremic stated during a lecture at the Nis Faculty of Law that many international factors maintained an attitude of disbelief and ridicule when it comes to the country's candidacy for the chairmanship.

A total of 56 member countries, including the U.S. and Canada, European countries, Russia and Central Asian countries, voted in favour of Serbia's candidacy in Vienna, Jeremic stated and added that this is the reply to criticism voiced against
Serbia's foreign policy and the response to questions as to the scope of Serbia's influence in the world.

The vote shows that Serbia's foreign policy priorities comprise European processes, preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity, development of positive relations with neighbours and economic diplomacy.

There is no doubt that the enthusiasm as regards EU enlargement ihas dropped, which is a result of the economic crisis, Jeremic noted.

He assessed that all countries that are to take the EU path would have a more difficult and more complex task than before, which goes for all Serbia's future governments. Jeremic stated that the European process could be the common denominator around which the nation can crowd together just like it does around the national interest.

Jeremic said that Serbia is fighting secessionism in its territory by peaceful and diplomatic means and has managed to reduce the scope of recognition of Kosovo-Metohija's independence and prevent its membership in international organisations as an independent country.

He noted that relations with neighbours are now better than they were ever since the beginning of the Yugoslav wars and that Serbia aims to develop best possible relations with its neighbours.