Feature of the Month: June 2007

Ambassador Polt Opens Exhibition and Conference Marking 125 Years of US-Serbian Diplomatic Relations

On May 29th, Ambassador Polt, along with Harvard Club of Serbia President Mary Black and the Director of the National Library Sreten Ugricic, officially opened the exhibit "Looking Forward," which displays documents and photographs spanning the history of our 125 year-long relationship. The U.S. Embassy supported the commemoration of this milestone, in cooperation with the Harvard Club of Serbia and the National Library of Serbia. Over 300 people, gathered from the media, academia, government, civil society and the cultural community, attended the opening of the exhibit This exhibit, which will remain open and free to the public at the National Library for one month -- before traveling to all seven American Corners in Serbia -- allows Serbs and Americans alike to view our long, fruitful and sometimes painful relationship, in a much more human and warmer fashion.

Ambassador Michael Polt and Mrs. Polt cut the ribbon to officially open the exhibition, along with President of the Harvard Club of Serbia Mary Black and Director of the National Library Sreten Ugricic

"History matters. For Americans in particular, history matters in its connection to the future, and not just a proud -- or a sorrowful -- look to the past. We have been through much together in these past 125 years, Americans and the citizens of this country. Some good, some bad -- in peace, and in war. The vast majority of the last 125 years have passed in friendship. American friendship remains strong. American support remains steady. And American resolve remains strong -- to do the right thing, morally, legally, diplomatically, and in every other way, to ensure that Serbia emerges successfully, prosperously, and democratically from the painful dissolution of Yugoslavia."

On May 30th, the Ambassador, along with Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Mary Black, President of the Harvard Club of Serbia, opened a frank and lively conference focused on the state of US-Serbian relations, as well as the future of those relations. This conference, which also took place at the National Library, gave close to 150 students, and representatives of the media, government and the NGO sector, a very direct and honest assessment of where our relations are today and where they could possibly be going in the future.

Ambassador Polt making a point during the conference marking 125 years of US-Serbian diplomatic relations. With him are from left to right: Mary Black, President of the Harvard Club of Serbia, Vuk Jeremic, Foreign Minister of Serbia and Ivana Cerovic, Director of the Washington Office of the Serbian Unity Congress.

In his opening remarks at the conference, Ambassador Polt stressed several important points about relations between the U.S. and Serbia:

"While relations between nations are often compared to human relationships, they are really quite different. Human relationships can be selfless and self sacrificing. Relationships between countries can be for mutual benefit if they are good or lead to confrontation if they are bad. Altruism is rare, if not entirely absent. Our governments disagree on Kosovo's future. We see Kosovo's independence not only as essential for the future of all the people living in Kosovo, but also as a critical element for defining a new Serbia.

Since October of 2000, when the citizens of Serbia ousted Slobodan Milosevic, the United States has been fully committed to helping this new Serbia build a fully democratic and economically successful society fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community. We have achieved considerable success together, but there is much work still to be done to realize the dream of the vast majority of Serbian citizens. America wants a Europe whole, free and at peace. We want a Europe that is a strong partner in facing common challenges from global terrorism to global warming. It is in our interest for Serbia to complete the European political and economic landscape.

The most immediate challenges to our current and future relationship are not only the disagreements over Kosovo, but also Serbia's unfulfilled obligation in delivering indicted war criminals to the ICTY -- and ultimately its interest in a free association with Euro-Atlantic partners. All this must be resolved in order for Serbia to move forward on the critical issues of prividing prosperity and much needed political reform for its people -- and for America to help."

Ambassador Polt at the press conference following panel presentations at the conference, standing with, from l to r: Ana Trbovic, Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Univ. of Belgrade; Bojana Vukasinovic, Executive Director of the AMCHAM; Ivana Cerovic, Director of the Washington Office of the Serbian Unity Congress; Mary Black, President of the Harvard Club of Serbia; Ivan Vejvoda, Director of the Balkan Trust for Democracy.