Portugal–Serbia relations explained

Portuguese-Serbian relations date back to 1882. Portugal has an embassy in Belgrade, and Serbia has an embassy in Lisbon.^[1] Despite support by Portugal for the independence of Kosovo, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković was keen to improve bilateral cooperation.^{[2] [3]} Also, Portugal is backing Serbia's accession to the European Union (EU).^[4]

History

Portugal established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Serbia on 19 October 1917.^[5] Relations continued with the successor Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The Portuguese recognized the government in exile of this state after the German occupation of 1941.^[6] Relations with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which took power in 1945 after World War II, were only established in 1974 after the Portuguese Carnation Revolution.^{[7] [8]} Following the dissolution of the SFR of Yugoslavia during the Yugoslav wars, Portugal maintained relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, later reconstituted as Serbia and Montenegro and finally as the Republic of Serbia after Montenegro declared its independence in July 2006.^[1]

In April 1999, Portugal participated in the NATO bombing of Serbia from the Aviano Air Base in Italy.^[9] Portugal also provided troops as part of NATO peacekeeping efforts in the breakaway Serbian province of Kosovo in 1999.^[10] In April 1999 Serbia filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice regarding Portugal's use of force in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.^[11] As of 2007, Portugal still had about 300 troops in Kosovo.^[12]

Official meetings and statements

• In December 1997, President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic received Portuguese Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations.^[13]
• In January 2002 The Foreign Minister of Portugal, Jaime Gama, returned to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in his capacity as Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office. The OSCE was engaged in stabilizing the situation in southern Serbia following the Kosovo War.^[14]
• In November 2003, Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marović visited Portugal. During this visit he signed an agreement on the succession of Bilateral Agreements between the SFR of Yugoslavia and Portugal, extending prior agreements on tourism, business, scientific and technological cooperation, and cooperation in information.^[1]
• In July 2005 Portuguese Minister of Defense Luís Amado visited Serbia and Montenegro, where he discussed military cooperation with his Serbian counterpart.^[15]
• In May 2007 Portuguese Foreign Minister Luís Amado gave strong support for Serbian ambitions to join the European Union.^[4]
• In July 2007, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica visited Lisbon.^[16]
• In October 2008, Portugal recognized Kosovo's independence from Serbia.^[3] (See also Kosovan–Portuguese relations.)
• In November 2008, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luís Amado met with his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremić in Belgrade and voiced his support for removing the suspension of a trade agreement between Serbia and the European Union.^[17] Also that month, the Serbian Minister of Science and Technological Development met a Portuguese delegation and discussed cooperation in energy efficiency, nanotechnology and the food industry, with plans to sign a Cooperation Agreement on Science and Technology by the end of 2008.^[18]
• In February 2009, Serbian Defence Minister Dragan Sutanovac met with his Portuguese counterpart Nuno Severiano Teixeira. They signed an agreement on defense cooperation and discussed Serbia's NATO bid.^{[19] [20]}
• In June 2009, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic met with Portuguese parliamentary speaker Jaime Gama, and discussed improvements to bilateral cooperation.^[2]

Economic relations

In the January–October 2006 period bilateral trade between Serbia and Portugal were estimated at US$12.7 million.^[1]

Resident diplomatic missions

• Portugal has an embassy in Belgrade.
• Serbia has an embassy in Lisbon.

See also

• Foreign relations of Portugal
• Foreign relations of Serbia
  • Accession of Serbia to the European Union Kosovo–Portugal relations
• Serbs in Portugal
• Portugueses in Serbia
• Portugal–Yugoslavia relations

Notes and References

1. Web site: BILATERAL POLITICAL RELATIONS . Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs . 2009-08-04.
2. Web site: Serbia, Portugal must improve bilateral cooperation . June 22, 2009 . Government of Serbia . 2009-08-04.
3. Web site: Portugal reconhece hoje independência do Kosovo . October 7, 2008 . PÚBLICO Comunicação Social SA . 2009-08-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090122140251/http://ultimahora.publico.clix.pt/noticia.aspx?id=1345232&idCanal=12 . 2009-01-22.
4. Web site: Portugal pledges support for Serbia's EU ambitions . May 18, 2007 . People's Daily Online . 2009-08-04.
5. Book: Revolutions and peace treaties, 1917-1920 . Gerhard Schulz . Methuen . 1972 . 35.
6. Book: Yugoslavia in the Second World War . Ahmet Đonlagić . Žarko Atanacković . Dušan Plenča . Međunarodna štampa--Interpress . 41 . 1967.
7. Book: Portuguese revolution, 1974-76 . Lester A. Sobel, Christ Hunt . Facts on File . 1976 . 0-87196-223-3 . 76.
8. Book: As Relações Jugoslavo-portuguesas (1941-1974). Yugoslav-Portuguese relations, (1941-1974). pt. Jorge Santos Carvalho. 2012. Coimbra University Press. 978-989-26-0146-5.
9. Web site: Operação "Allied Force " . pt . Caleida . 2009-08-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071118082346/http://www.caleida.pt/ifor/koso2.htm . 2007-11-18 . dead .
10. Web site: NATO-member Portugal wants to withdraw troops from Kosovo . International Action Center (New York) . October 24, 2000 . 2009-08-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090129200958/http://iacenter.org/bosnia/yugo_portu.htm . January 29, 2009 . dead .
11. Web site: THE APPLICATION OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AGAINST PORTUGAL FOR VIOLATION OF THE OBLIGATION NOT TO USE FORCE . International Court of Justice . 2009-08-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110605033825/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/111/10566.pdf . 2011-06-05 . dead .
12. Web site: FACTBOX-NATO's Kosovo peace force . Reuters . 24 September 2007 . 2009-08-05.
13. Web site: PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES PORTUGUESE FOREIGN MINISTER . 1997-12-23 . Hellenic Resources Network . 2009-08-04.
14. Web site: OSCE Chairman-in-Office visits Belgrade and Podgorica . OSCE . 18 February 2002 . 2009-08-04.
15. Web site: Serbia-Montenegro, Portugal to promote military cooperation . July 25, 2005 . Xinhua News Agency . 2009-08-04.
16. Web site: Kostunica On Visit To Lisbon, Berlin . July 16, 2007 . eYugoslavia . 2009-08-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100113054237/http://eyugoslavia.com/lisbon/16/kostunica-on-visit-to-lisbon-berlin-225/ . January 13, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
17. Web site: Portugal favors unfreezing of trade deal . 25 November 2008 . B92 Radio (Serbia) . 2009-08-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607181459/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=11&dd=25&nav_id=55291 . 7 June 2011.
18. Web site: Serbia is Strengthening its Cooperation Links in S&T . European Community's Programme for International Cooperation . November 16, 2008 . 2009-08-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724130741/http://www.wbc-inco.net/object/news/22877.html . 2011-07-24.
19. Web site: Diplomatic Diary . 2009-02-17 . SE Times . 2009-08-04.
20. Web site: Serbia, Portugal in defense cooperation . 14 February 2009 . B92 Radio (Serbia) . 2009-08-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607181430/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=02&dd=14&nav_id=57152 . 7 June 2011.