First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic met on Saturday with Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Arreaza. FM Arreaza is on a bilateral visit to Serbia, where he was also received by a number of cabinet ministers, including Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin.

Dacic expressed his satisfaction with the visit and underlined that Serbia and Venezuela enjoy a long friendship, which is reflected in the mutual support in the international arena, the government said on its website.

He thanked Venezuela on its principled position regarding Kosovo and Metohija and on its vote against the admission of the so-called "Kosovo” into Interpol and UNESCO.

Dacic announced that Serbia is pursuing a principled policy based on respect for international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states, and a peaceful settlement of disputes. Dacic said that Serbia understands the difficult situation that Venezuela is going through and underlined that only dialogue is a way to reach a lasting solution to the crisis in that country.

In a constructive and friendly conversation, the two officials expressed mutual readiness and interest in improving economic cooperation, which is lagging behind good political relations, as well as determination to continue cooperation on the multilateral level.

FM Arreaza thanked the Serbian Government for understanding the difficult situation that Venezuela is going through and for supporting peaceful resolution of the crisis through dialogue. He underlined that the Venezuelan Government is in favor of dialogue, as the only way to achieve a lasting sustainable solution, Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press statement.