Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals
Press release
On Strategy of Serbian Foreign Policy
THE PILLARS ARE WITHIN, NOT OUT OF SERBIA
The Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals organized Roundtable on
foreign policy and the international position of Serbia on 8 December 2009,
in the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade. The speakers were experts in
diplomacy and scholars in the areas of international economic, political and
security developments, publicists, and journalists.
The participants shared common opinion that Serbia needs strategy of a
balanced foreign policy. Special emphasis was put on the significance of
economic and energy dimensions of the foreign policy and the economic
diplomacy. The speakers supported the position of military neutrality of
Serbia, and underlined the need for harmonizing political and military
diplomacies.
Among the ideas and suggestions offered by the participants of this
Roundtable, special attention was given to the position that the pillars of
foreign policy should be seen within Serbia. The first of such pillars
comprises internal cohesion, and political and social stability. The second
is development and economical-technological power. The third pillar consists
of defense and deterring armed forces. The final one comprises resources in
science and culture.
Among the most interesting presentations was the intervention of Aleksandar
Konuzin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Serbia. He spoke about the
proposal of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for a new treaty on
Eurasian-Atlantic security.
The speakers were as follows: Živadin Jovanovic, former Yugoslav Foreign
Affairs minister presented outlook of developments in the world, in Europe
and in the Balkans. University professor Oskar Kovac elaborated economic
dimension of foreign policy. Vladislav Jovanovic, former Serbian and
Yugoslav Foreign affairs minister, spoke about foreign policy and about
national and state priorities. Dr Dragan Petrovic addressed relations with
Russia; Scientists Dr Dragan Miljanic and Dr Jordan Dinic discussed
relations with China. University professor Dr. Cedomir Štrbac gave an
overview of relations with the non-aligned countries. The issues related
with military relationships, military neutrality and relations with NATO
were presented by several speakers, Dr. Radovan Radinovic, former general of
VJ, Miroslav Lazanski, military commentator of daily “Politika”, Milen
Simic, and Dr. Branko Krga, VJ Chief of staff until 2004, Dr. Dušan Vasic,
diplomat, addressed the comparative treatment of foreign policy in the
constitutions of the former Yugoslav republics.
The conclusion was accepted to place the material from this
Roundtable at the disposal of the relevant state institutions.
The Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals as the organizer of this expert
gathering will undertake to publish the Report comprising all papers
presented. In the meantime, individual presentation will be successively
presented in word, audio and video formats on the Forum’s site at: www.
<http://beoforum.rs> beoforum.rs
WITH COMPLIMENTS
Tel. + 381 11 26 44 293
www.beoforum.rs
