First Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic met in Colombo on Monday with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Serbian Government announced.

According to a press release, Dacic and Wickremesinghe "expressed readiness to intensify bilateral political dialogue at the high and highest level, as well as to enhance cooperation in all areas."

Both sides "expressed satisfaction with the decades-long and traditionally friendly relations between Serbia and Sri Lanka, with particular emphasis on the possibilities of developing cooperation in the economic field" and in this context agreed that direct contacts between businesspeople and chambers of commerce are very important and that it is necessary to organize mutual visits."

Dacic conveyed to Wickremesinghe "the gratitude of the government, parliament and the people of Serbia for the position of that country regarding the non-recognition of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, with the expectation that Sri Lanka will continue to maintain this position in the future."

Wickremesinghe "emphasized that Sri Lanka, bearing in mind the problems with secessionist tendencies it has in its own country, pays special importance to integrity of states, and that it will not change its stance on the non-recognition of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo."

He pointed out that the Sri Lankans have fond memories of Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, while Dacic recalled that Broz visited that country twice - in 1959 and 1976, to attend the Non-Aligned Movement summits.

Dacic is on a multi-day tour of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.