Turkish President Erdogan stresses Serbia's support for stability in Bosnia-Herzegovina

By Yasin Gungor and Talha Ozturk

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the importance of Serbia's role in stabilizing its neighbor Bosnia and Herzegovina during talks with Aleksandar Vucic, his Serbian counterpart, in the capital Belgrade on Friday.

"I stressed to President Vucic the importance of Serbia's constructive approach in helping Bosnia and Herzegovina move beyond its political fragility," Erdogan told a joint press conference after the signing of 11 agreements between the two countries.

Türkiye and Serbia also have opportunities to enhance defense industry cooperation and move together into the future, Erdogan added. He also urged third countries to refrain from trying to "determine what the defense industries of Türkiye and Serbia should contain."

On Israel's ongoing attacks in the Middle East, which have killed over 42,000 in the Gaza Strip and injured nearly 98,000 others, Erdogan underlined how nine countries have recognized the state of Palestine since October 2023 and urged others to do the same.

- Türkiye is 'greatest power in the Balkans': Vucic

Vucic, in turn, hailed Türkiye as "the greatest power in the Balkans," stressing Serbia's expectation of continued Turkish support for peace and stability in the region.

Saying that some parts in Serbia survive thanks to Turkish investments, Vucic said Serbia values its friendly relations with Türkiye, calling them important for political and economic ties on the scale of both Eurasia and the entire globe.

"There is a huge potential for cooperation in the field of defense cooperation," he added.

He also praised Erdogan as a person who "understands the problems in the Balkans very well and always says that dialogue is the only way to solve them."

Türkiye sees Serbia as an important country for stability in the region and supports its integration with the EU, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Türkiye also sees relations with Serbia as progressing positively, with mutual high-level visits and commercial and economic relations developing with a strong momentum.​​​​​​​