Hill: Serbia Is Not Alone, United States Is among Its Friends

Ambassador Christopher Hill (BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIC)

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill said on Sept. 20 that Serbia, unlike some periods in the past, was no longer alone, and that the United States was among its friends.

“It is important for all Serbs to understand that Serbia, even though there were days in the past when it was alone, is no longer alone. Serbia has many great friends, and I would like to emphasize that the United States is among them,” Hill told reporters before a Day of America conference hosted by the Parliament of Serbia.

Ambassador Hill said that there were things Serbia and the U.S. disagreed on, but added that nevertheless the two states “want to work to develop their cooperation and move forward.” “Signing the agreement on strategic cooperation between Serbia and the United States in the field of energy (in Washington, on Sept. 18) is a good example of what we can and what we want to do in the future. We are eagerly expecting cooperation in the areas of technology and innovation, as part of efforts to make the planet greener,” Hill said.

The U.S. diplomat also said that Serbia “has no greater friend” than the Ohio National Guard, adding that he was pleased to see another visit by the Guard’s leaders to Serbia. Commander of the Ohio National Guard John Harris said he was honored to be accepted as a friend in Belgrade, saying that every time he visited Serbia he felt “the same excitement over the future partnership” between the two parties.