Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister Lyubomir Kyuchoukov received Serbian ambassador to Bulgaria Danilo Vučetić upon the latter's request on July 30 2008, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Vučetić informed Kyuchoukov of Serbia's July 24 decision to reinstate its ambassadors to the European Union member countries that had recognised Kosovo's February 17 2008-declared independence.

The ambassadors were recalled “for consultations” earlier this year as a sign of protest against the recognition of the break-away Serbian province.

Vučetić expressed the new Serbian government's determination to work hard to accelerate Serbia's integration to the EU, including under the co-operation with The Hague war crimes tribunal, one proof of which had been the arrest of Radovan Karadžić.

The ambassador said that Serbia relied on Bulgaria's support for its European prospective and hoped that Bulgaria would share its experience from negotiations with the EU. Kyuchoukov, on his part, said that Bulgaria was ready to assist its Balkan neighbour on its path to the European bloc, the Foreign Ministry said.

Both parties voiced their readiness to intensify the dialogue between their two countries.