Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic discussed the refugee crisis and Serbia's efforts to prevent Kosovo from becoming a UNESCO member with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Nikolic said that the refugee crisis is a big test for Europe and its fundamental values.

He pointed out that Serbia will continue to treat migrants responsibly and in a civilized way.

President el-Sisi said that the crisis will not be resolved until the clashes in the Middle East end, primarily in Syria and Iraq.

Nikolic briefed el-Sisi on the arguments Serbia wants to use so as to stop Albania's initiative for the so-called "Republic of Kosovo" to be admitted to UNESCO, the Serbian president's press service issued in a statement.

El-Sisi made a promise that, in the spirit of Egypt's traditional friendship with Serbia, he will have great understanding for Serbia's stances.

After the NATO bombardment of Serbia in 1999 and the arrival of international troops, ethnic Albanians unilaterally proclaimed independence in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo in 2008.

During and after the clashes in the March pogrom of 2004, Albanian extremists demolished, burnt down or desecrated around 150 churches, monasteries and other cultural monuments.

They include the pearls of medieval architecture, such as the Church of the Holy Virgin of Ljevis built in the 13th century. More than ten thousand valuable frescoes, icons and other church relics disappeared from the churches or were damaged.