CARTHAGE - Tunisia and Serbia concluded two agreements and a co-operation programme that were signed at a ceremony held, Wednesday in Carthage palace, with attendance of Caretaker President Moncef Marzouki and his Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolic.
They invovle an economic and commercial agreement, an agreement on transport of persons and goods and a co-operation programme in the fields of education, science, culture and sport for the period 2014-2016.
In his address during the ceremony, the President of Serbia stated his country's readiness to develop co-operation with Tunisia and encourage the establishment of partnership between Tunisian and Serbian investors capture new markets.
According to Nikolic, the level of trade with Tunisia of only 0.1 % in 2013 for a total value of 39 million dinars "is not satisfactory for Serbia," indicating that his country has enough encouraging assets for investment, particularly economic stability and "excellent relations withcountries of the European Union and Russia."
In turn, President Marzouki expressed hope to see the Tunisian-Serbian relations reach highest levels.
While considering these relations as "longstanding," he reminded of the proper treatment of Serbian soldiers during their transition in Tunisia in the First World War and the strong relations Tunisia has always had with Yugoslavia at the time of their active membership in the Non-Aligned Movement.
Marzouki also pointed to the similarity of the democratic transition experiences of Tunisia and Serbia, highlighting the leading role that the two countries' investors have to play to develop the bilateral economic and trade relations.
The agreements were signed, on the Tunisian side by Foreign Minister Mongi Hamdi, Transport Minister Chiheb Ben Ahmed and Culture Minister Mourad Sakli and on the Serbian side by Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Mrkic and Culture Minister Ivan Tasovac.
The Serbian President arrived Wednesday morning in Tunis on a two-day working and friendship visit.
© Tunis-Afrique Presse 2014
