MEMORANDUM ON COOPERATION BETWEEN THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC ("Off. Herald of RS - Treaties", No. 3/2014)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, hereinafter referred to as "the Participants",

Have reached the following understanding:

1.

The Participants are prepared to hold consultations on bilateral relations and on international issues of common interest.

2.

Consultations may take place alternately in the Republic of Serbia and in the Czech Republic. The level, agenda and dates of consultations between the Participants will be agreed through diplomatic channels. Consultations on issues of mutual interest may also be held between the Participants’ representations to the UN, EU, NATO, OSCE and other international organisations, as well as between other representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic at international conferences and meetings.

3.

The consultations under this Memorandum may cover the following fields:

a) current development and future of the EU, the EU enlargement and preparations of the Republic of Serbia for the entry in the EU;

b) global issues and development of international relations;

c) developments in Western Balkans countries and their regional institutions, as well as regional cooperation;

d) security policy;

e) bilateral relations;

f) the UN, OSCE and other international organisations;

g) any other issues of interest for both Participants.

4.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic is ready to share the experience with the preparations for the EU membership and the experience gained as a member of the EU, including counselling on ways to obtain support from the EU external cooperation funds. The sharing of experience between the Participants will take the form of consultations, internships at public administration authorities, training courses and seminars.

5.

The Participants decided to consult on the existing framework of bilateral agreements supporting economic cooperation, and on its potential broadening. The Participants will inform each other about planned events such as trade fairs, tenders, commercial exhibitions etc., as well as about specific business opportunities (such as planned tenders) or problems in mutual economic relations; this information will be exchanged, in particular, at the meetings of the Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and the Czech Republic. The Participants will jointly promote direct cooperation between partner economic sectors of both countries.

6.

The Participants are ready to exchange information and consult on activities intended to strengthen security in Europe and to reinforce Europe’s role as a stabilizing factor. The Participants will further hold consultations on the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), cooperation with NATO, OSCE affairs and crisis management; they will also enhance bilateral security dialogue on current issues of regional, European and global security and facilitate efficient bilateral security and defence cooperation.

7.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic is ready to share the experience with the building of a foreign cooperation and humanitarian assistance system, including its building at the global and European level; it will also share its experience gained in creating the transformation cooperation programme - an instrument for financial support of democracy and human rights.

8.

The Participants will exchange information on territorial and sectoral priorities of their foreign development cooperation, cooperate to ensure its sustainability and to present to the general public the already implemented projects of Czech development cooperation in the Republic of Serbia.

9.

The Participants decided to promote mutual cooperation in the fields of culture, science and education, including the support for teaching of the partner country’s language at higher education institutions.

10.

The Participants wish to facilitate contacts between government institutions and non-governmental entities, and support cooperation between scientific and non-governmental institutions of both countries working in the field of international relations, security and defence policy and the European integration.

11.

The Participants will continue to develop cooperation between the Diplomatic Academies of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding of 21 November 2008.

12.

This memorandum shall come into operation on the date of signature.

13.

Signed in Belgrade, 1 April 2014, in two originals in the English language.

For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia

For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic