 The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, today received the President of the Republic of Serbia, Boris Tadiæ, who had arrived on an official visit to Slovenia. After being received with military honours, Mr Tadiæ had a brief one-to-one meeting with Dr Türk, which was followed by talks between the delegation of the Republic of Slovenia and the delegation of the Republic of Serbia, led, respectively, by Dr Türk and Mr Tadiæ.
Dr Türk stressed that the visit by President Tadiæ was of historic symbolic importance as the first official visit by a Serbian President to Slovenia, bringing relations between the two countries to a new level. He highlighted the long-standing excellent economic relations between the two countries and the progress made in political relations. He highlighted, in particular, the importance of harmonising the agreement on social insurance between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Serbia. Dr Türk called for further building of relations, advocating at all levels political consultations between the two countries that are as comprehensive as possible. He said that Slovenia and Serbia shared a common future in an integrated Europe and expressed Slovenia’s readiness to help Serbia, within the limits of its possibilities, in forging closer ties with the European Union. |
 President Tadiæ agreed that Slovenia and Serbia had many similar interests in both the economic and political areas. He stressed that Serbia would be able to benefit from Slovenia’s experience gained in the areas of administrative reform, economy and negotiations for EU membership. He expressed his thanks for the great efforts made in harmonising the agreement on social insurance, stressing that resolving the status of people who were "erased" from the Slovenian central population register in 1992 – the majority of whom are Serbs – is an issue of particular importance to Serbia. Dr Türk explained that the Slovenian Government had already taken steps to address this issue and was seeking to resolve it in accordance with the decisions of the Constitutional Court. |
 Dr Türk cautioned that some of the succession issues regarding the former Yugoslavia, including the property of Slovenian companies in Serbia, succession issues related to diplomatic and consular representations of the former common state, and restitution of and access to archives, had been dealt with too slowly. With regards to the latter, he highlighted, in particular, documents regarding international agreements that regulate issues of importance to Slovenia. President Tadiæ gave assurances that Serbia too hoped to see these issues resolved, expressing readiness to support Slovenia in its efforts in the area of succession to international agreements entered into by the former Yugoslavia. Dr Türk and Mr Tadiæ shared the view that all outstanding issues arising from the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia should be resolved by applying the principle of equity. |
 They also devoted significant attention to economic co-operation. Dr Türk recalled that Slovenia’s and Serbia’s respective economies were complementary and had great potential for joint appearance in third markets, both near and far. Mr Tadiæ expressed support for the countries’ joint appearance in third markets, especially in countries that are members of the Non-Aligned Movement, in which the former Yugoslavia was previously present. Dr Türk also expressed his readiness to hold talks aimed at defining co-operation in development in the world.
He stressed that the period of recession could also be an opportune time to define strategy for future co-operation in the area of investment. Dr Türk and Mr Tadiæ expressed the strong interest of Slovenia and Serbia, in the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline; in this regard, Mr Tadiæ also highlighted Serbia’s great potential for storing gas. They agreed that the two countries should create an appropriate environment to promote business co-operation between Slovenian and Serbian companies. To that end, President Tadiæ was also accompanied by a sizeable economic delegation of 150 Serbian businessmen. |
 Dr Türk said that there were also many opportunities in the area of culture, where the two countries already have a great tradition of co-operation. Mr Tadiæ agreed, stressing that Slovenia and Serbia had spent many years together in the former common state, where they established noticeable cultural ties. In this regard, he recalled the many Serbian artists who work in Slovenia.
After the talks, the Slovenian Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, Dr Ivan Svetlik, and the Serbian Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Rasim Ljajiæ, signed the agreement on social insurance, which regulates pensions, disability insurance, health insurance, and other social rights. |
 Dr Türk and Mr Tadiæ later visited the Chamber of Commerce of Industry of Slovenia, where they addressed the participants of a Slovenian–Serbian business conference and signed the guests of honour book. Dr Türk stressed that the business conference demonstrated that the two countries had a rich economic past, deep economic roots and an important stake in the future of their economies. Mr Tadiæ also said that Slovenia and Serbia had many similar interests and that there were still many opportunities for the two countries to seize. Both presidents highlighted, in particular, the development of telecommunications, infrastructure and energy as areas in which the two countries benefit from their position in Europe as countries of transit. |