Bangladesh, Serbia keen to revive ties

Bangladesh and Serbia emphasised reviving bilateral relations with a particular focus on economic cooperation.

The two countries also agreed to resume exchange of high-level visits to explore new areas of cooperation.

The remarks came at a meeting of the countries' foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) in The Hague yesterday afternoon.

Speaking with First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali said Bangladesh and the former Yugoslavia enjoyed excellent bilateral relations as the latter played a formative role in securing international recognition for the independent Bangladesh during and after 1971.

Ali invited his Serbian counterpart to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time, a invitation accepted by the Serbian foreign minister.

The Serbian minister suggested enhanced cooperation in the education sector, and possible visa waiver arrangements between the two countries.

The two ministers discussed the ongoing efforts to normalise relations between Serbia and Kosovo under a European Union sponsored initiative.

Mahmood Ali also had a meeting with Director General of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Üzümcü at the latter's office in The Hague.