Turkish foreign minister visits Serbia
Source: B92, Tanjug
BELGRADE -- Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said on Tuesday the Balkan nations were "as one family" and
could settle all their differences "in a brotherly way."
His
host, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, pointed out after their
meeting that "some actions and statements should no be an obstacle to
good relations."
"Turkey and Serbia view some parts of history
and the present in different ways, which is understandable, " Dačić
told a joint news conference after a meeting with Davutoglu.
That is why it is necessary for the two countries to seek common interest in the future, he noted.
According to Dačić, Serbia and Turkey wish to reduce any tension in their relations, bring them to normal and strenthen them.
The two countries have a lot in common, Davutoglu stated.
"Turkey is willing to work with Serbia towards a better future of both
Serbia and the Balkans, because it knows Serbia is the backbone of the
Balkans," he remarked.
When asked if his visit meant the end of
the dispute caused by Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's statement
from last year that "Kosovo was Turkey and Turkey was Kosovo,"
Davutoglu avoided a direct response.
He said Belgrade was "a friendly city that he liked to visit often."
A common goal of the two countries is to develop their mutual relations
in economy, sport, culture, science, security, defense and crisis
response, the two officials agreed, adding that a Serbian-Turkish
business forum should be held in Turkey in the fall.
Trade
between Serbia and Turkey in 2013 was EUR 760 million, Dačić stated,
adding that 170,000 Serbian tourists visited Turkey that year, 30,000
Turkish tourists came to Serbia.
Dačić thanked the Turkish
government for its assistance during the recent floods, adding that it
was now vital to Serbia to collect funds from international donors to
repair the areas hit by the disaster.
Turkey has had bitter
experiences with earthquakes and was deeply distressed by the disaster
that struck Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and is willing to provide any
help possible, Davutoglu stated.
He extended sympathy on behalf of the Turkish citizens to the people of Serbia for their losses during the disaster.
When asked if a meeting between Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey
would be organized "soon" - Dačić said that "the focus now should be on
rebuilding the relations between Serbia and Turkey."
Commenting
on the situation regarding Air Serbia and Turkish Airlines, the two
officials said it was "in the hands of the appropriate ministries and
the airlines themselves, but added that there was a joint interest in
resolving the problem."
According to media reports, Turkish
Airlines could lose "ideal landing and take-off slots at the Belgrade
airport Nikola Tesla starting from July 1 because the related agreement
between Serbia and Turkey stipulates reciprocity."
The Turkish
company has 21 flights out of Belgrade a week, while Air Serbia has only
7 from Istanbul, and not from the main airport, Ataturk, but from the
smaller one, Sabiha Gokcen.
Controversy
Relations
between Serbia and Turkey deteriorated last year after Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Erdogan visited Kosovo, where he stated that "Turkey is
Kosovo, and Kosovo Turkey."
Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić
reacted to the statement to day it was tantamount to "an act of
aggression without weapons," while Ivica Dačić, who served as prime
minister at the time, called it "a direct provocation."
His first deputy at the time, Aleksandar Vučić, sought an "urgent apology".
Ahmet Davutoglu said a short time later that his country had no
intention of apologizing, and said Erdogan's statement "contained no
insult, only positive feelings."
His reference to Kosovo, Davutoglu continued, "was not political in nature, nor did it express an expansionist policy."
In December,
Nikolić canceled a planned trilateral meeting between Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Turkey.
Turkey has recognized Kosovo as independent after ethnic Albanians made
a unilateral declaration in early 2008. Serbia rejected the
proclamation as unconstitutional and considers the territory its
province.