Selaković: Everything is ready for the NAM gathering, we will be good hosts this time as well

Minister Selaković, as a guest on the Radio-Television of Serbia, said that this time, too, Serbia and Belgrade will show that they are good hosts.

"We will host friends and brothers from 105 countries with their delegations and 11 international organizations. At the event itself, 555 people will be present. More than 6,500 people are involved in the organization of the conference", stated Selaković.

As he said, more than 10 delegations have already arrived in Belgrade, and the largest number of delegations is expected to arrive today.

"I am convinced that what made Belgrade the world 60 years ago will be witnessed in the coming days", the head of Serbian diplomacy emphasized.

When asked about the importance of the arrival of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov at the conference, Minister Selaković said that Lavrov would be one of the participants, that Russia has the status of an observer within the Non-Aligned Movement, the same status as Serbia, and that his arrival gives a special note to the gathering.

"His arrival, having in mind his busy schedule, means a lot to us. Minister Lavrov is the doyen of world diplomacy and his name additionally strengthens the character and level of the gathering", said Minister Selaković.

The head of Serbian diplomacy said that surely many of his colleagues will ask to meet with Lavrov, given the crisis in which Europe and the world find themselves when it comes to energy.

Minister Selaković announced that President Aleksandar Vučić, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and he, will have the first bilateral meetings with officials of the NAM member states today, which will last throughout the conference.

The organization of the gathering, stated Minister Selaković, in the conditions of a pandemic, is a confirmation of the international reputation of our state.

"Serbia is recognized on all meridians as a country with a clean conscience, a country that restores its old reputation, one of the fastest growing economies and a country with whom many from all over the world want to cooperate", said Minister Selaković.

The head of Serbian diplomacy said that he would meet today with the ministers of foreign affairs of Cambodia, Iraq, Sudan, Nepal and Indonesia, and that all of them showed respect for Serbia, its president and Serbian diplomacy by coming to Belgrade.

"The message is being sent that Serbia is able to gather 116 delegations, 43 foreign ministers this year. Nobody in Europe has succeeded in that, it is a great confirmation of the policy of our state leadership. It is also a confirmation of what is the refreshment and revival of those values ​​on which the Non-Aligned Movement was created", said Minister Selaković.

The head of Serbian diplomacy emphasized that it is important for Serbia to maintain the status of an observer in the Movement, because it has become a part of our identity on the international political scene in the past six decades.

Minister Selaković said that Belgrade was the birthplace of the NAM and that the former president of Yugoslavia, Josip Broz Tito, had made a key contribution to its establishment, as well as that it was something that was mentioned at the meeting with every official of the Movement member states.

"In terms of foreign policy, Tito was a true genius of the 20th century, which can be confirmed at every meeting. That reputation is still alive", said Minister Selaković and emphasized that the Movement has a huge number of our friends and that the voice of their countries in the international community is equally important and should be counted as the voice of the great and powerful.

As Minister Selaković pointed out, in the Non-Aligned Movement, we are recognized as a respectable, independent and sovereign country with which everyone wants to cooperate, and most of our non-aligned friends did not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called "Kosovo".