Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic began Monday a two-day visit to Israel with a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres with whom he talked about the historically good ties between the Serbian and Jewish people and possibilities for strenghtening and expanding economic cooperation.
Niokolic, who was received at the presidential residence in Jerusalem with full state honors, including the playing of national anthem and honor guard, thanked Israel for its principled support to Serbia’s stance on the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, expressing hope that this position will be maintained.
He said his visit is an expression of Serbia’s and his personal gratitude for Israel’s consistent and principled position. . He said he was proud that the most sophisticated irrigation systems in Serbia were made in Israel and that he would be happy to expand cooperation to additional areas.
He invited Peres to visit Serbia.
The Israeli president Peres drew an equation between the former Yugoslavia from which Serbia was formed and the need for Israel to continue talks with the Palestinian Authority, saying that Israel learned from Yugoslavia that the most correct solution is the establishment of two independent states living side-by-side in peace. He said that Israel also learned that the future is not one state of conflict but two states for two peoples."
Peres said he is particularly glad that the EU is seriously considering Serbia as a new member state because of the progress achieved in the dialogue with Kosovo and underscored that all conflicts should be resolved in this way.
“You in the Balkans are going through the phase of EU integration, which is now undergoing a revival. I am very happy that the EU is now seriously considering the possibility of accepting Serbia as a new member state. I am also very glad about your dialogue with Kosovo. All conflicts should be resolved through dialogue,” Peres said.
Peres and Nikolic agreed that the history of common suffering of the Serb and Jewish people is another reason for close cooperation between Serbia and Israel today.
“History constantly tortured us and brought us together. Our two nations and the Roma suffered terrible pogroms during World War Two,” said Nikolic.
He added that the Jewish community in Serbia today is small, because many left in search of a better life, but those who left consider both Serbia and Israel their homeland.
The Serbian president’s delegation also includes Minister of Agriculture Goran Knezevic and Advisor to the president Marko Djuric.
Later on Monday, the Serbian delegation toured the Museum of Israel and the President Nikolic laid a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and planted a treed in the Garden of All Nations.
During his visit, Nikolic will also meet with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Parliament Speaker Yuli Edelstein.
He will also tour the Wailing Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel, the Church of the Nativity and the Great Lavra of St. Sabbas the Sanctified.
After his Israel visit, the Serbian president will travel to Ramallah for a meeting meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.