Serbian foreign minister highlights terror threat

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Terrorism is the greatest threat facing the world in the 21st century, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told Anadolu Agency in a recent interview.

Speaking in the wake of the terror attack on Istanbul’s main airport that killed 44, Dacic spoke of the difficulty in combating the threat from terror groups.

“Terrorism is the greatest evil of the 21st century,” he said. “Unfortunately, it has become very hard to prevent a series of individual actions, even in the most organized countries in the world and Turkey is one such a country.

“The only way we can successfully fight against it is by exchanging information and services… In this regard, it is important that all countries of the world and Europe cooperate.”

Dacic, whose country is in the process of joining the EU, also commented on the U.K.’s decision to leave the bloc.

“The United Kingdom has chosen its path, which is a big blow for the EU,” he said in an interview at the ministry on Thursday.

“Serbia needs to continue its policy to fulfill its obligations, to continue its European path, but the EU itself, it seems to me, should learn from everything that has happened.”

He also addressed Serbia’s relationship to Turkey and stressed the strategic importance of the link.

However, he warned that Turkish recognition of Kosovo’s independence “directly works against the territorial integrity of Serbia”.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 and was immediately recognized by Ankara.