Office of the Historian

A Guide to the United States’ History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Serbia

Summary

Note: This entry is for the modern state, the Republic of Serbia. Please click here for information on the Kingdom of Serbia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The U.S. shared normalized relations with Yugoslavia until 1992 when Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia all seceded. The republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992. On May 21, 1992, the U.S. announced that it would not recognize the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) as the successor state of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), as Serbia and Montenegro claimed. The U.S. Ambassador was recalled from Belgrade, but the mission continued with a staff under the authority of a Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.

In response to the conflict in Kosovo, and one day prior to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, on March 23, 1999, the U.S. severed relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and closed Embassy Belgrade. Diplomatic recognition and full diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in November 2000, and ambassadorial relations between the two nations resumed with the appointment of William Dale Montgomery as U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on November 26, 2001.

In 2003, the FRY became Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics with a federal level parliament. The office of President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, held by Vojislav Kostunica, ceased to exist once Svetozar Marovic was elected President of Serbia and Montenegro in March of 2003. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right to secede from the federation and, following a referendum, declared itself an independent nation on June 3, 2006. Two days later, Serbia declared that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro.

Modern Flag of Serbia

Recognition

U.S. Recognition of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, 2000.

In an exchange of letters dated November 12, 2000, U.S. President William J. Clinton and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia PresidentVojislav Kostunica established full diplomatic relations between the two states. This constituted recognition of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Diplomatic Relations

Normal Relations with Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Interrupted, 1992.

The republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992. On May 21, 1992, the U.S. announced that it would not recognize the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a successor state of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. U.S. Ambassador Warren Zimmerman was recalled from Belgrade, but the mission continued with a staff under the authority of a Chargé d’Affaires ad interim

Diplomatic Relations Severed, 1999.

In response to the continued conflict between Yugoslavia and Kosovo, and one day prior to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, on March 23, 1999, the U.S. severed relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and closed Embassy Belgrade.

Establishment of Full Diplomatic Relations, 2000.

In an exchange of letters dated November 12, 2000, U.S. President William J. Clinton and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President Kostunica established full diplomatic relations between the two states.

U.S. Embassy in Serbia Reopened, 2001.

The U.S. Embassy reopened in May 2001, and William Dale Montgomery was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Serbia on November 26, 2001. The Republic of Serbia is considered the successor state to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

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