Vucic to Attend U.N. General Assembly Starting Sept. 21, Says Will Defend Serbia’s Interests

Aleksandar Vucic, 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly, NYC, September 24 2024 (BETAPHOTO/United Nations Photo/Laura Jarriel)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sept. 20 that he is going to attend a session of the United Nations General Assembly so he can speak again about Serbia's position and "protect Serbia's interests," adding that he intends to hold a number of bilateral meetings.

"I am going to defend Serbia's interests. Each time I have tried to note the position of our country, which is on the European path, but which also belongs to the global south by many parameters, and is close to African and Asian countries," Vucic told Radio Beograd, adding that he will do everything to preserve peace and security for the people of Serbia in "this crazy time we are living through."

Vucic announced numerous meetings on the sidelines of the session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, from a reception hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump to an expected sit-down with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, with whom he will discuss the Serbian Naftna Industrija Srbije oil company. He said he will again speak about Serbia's positions and the "deception" it has been subjected to over the past years, about false principles and double morals.

Vucic said Serbia has been criticized for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, convicted of war crimes by a tribunal in The Hague, and that many said they are horrified by the images and numbers of people who attended the funeral, stating that there were no state insignia at the funeral, that regular soldiers were present and that three or four ministers were there to give their condolences, but that there were no declarations against The Hague.