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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Russia reaffirms support to Serbia’s territorial integrity

Belgrade/Saint Petersburg, 9 June 2008

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic stated yesterday that at the meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Aleksey Kudrin, Russia’s support to Serbia’s territorial integrity was reaffirmed.

Author: Tanjug

Following the meeting held on the fringes of the International Economic Forum, Djelic said that Russia’s position means a lot to Serbia and is important for furthering its relations with Russia, which is undoubtedly becoming one of the key countries in the world.

Having stressed that relations between Serbia and Russia are very friendly, Kudrin said that talks will help solve all issues and noted that Serbia’s European perspective does not interfere with its relations with Russia.

We build relations with other countries and with Serbia on an equal basis, said Kudrin.

The Serbian delegation, which also included Minister of Trade and Services Predrag Bubalo, talked with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister on the last day of the 12th International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Aleksey Kudrin said Russia is ready to offer favourable loans to Serbia which would include obligatory cooperation with Russian companies, said Djelic after the meeting.

According to him, this is the first time Kudrin has opened the possibility and said that Russia is ready to offer a very favourable loan arrangement to Serbia, which would include conditions such as compulsory cooperation with Russian companies.

Djelic announced that in the next few months, Serbia’s needs when it comes to investment in energy and infrastructure could be contemplated in order to make such an arrangement with Russia.

He said that it was proposed at the meeting that Serbia should ratify the energy agreement with Russia and that Russia should affirm the Serbian-Russian customs-free trade regime.

After meeting Kudrin, the Serbian delegation concluded its visit to Saint Petersburg where it participated in the 12th International Economic Forum.

Having stressed the huge importance of such meetings between officials from two countries, Djelic said that at the meeting, in which Minister of Trade and Services Predrag Bubalo and State Secretary of Economy and Regional Development Jasna Matic also took part, there was talk about cooperation in energy, air transport and trade, as well as about issues such as the repair of the Djerdap hydroelectric power plant and strategic partnership with Prva Petoletka from Trstenik.

Djelic said it is very important that the Russian government affirms and expands trade relations with Serbia because of their significance to investments, both by Russian and western companies.

With such a customs-free regime with Russia, we would be much more attractive to investors, said Djelic and added that the Russian government is to bring that issue up for discussion this week.

Following the meeting, Bubalo said that the issue of expanding the list of products subject to the free trade agreement was practically resolved at the level of the mixed committee for cooperation, chaired by himself and Russian Minister for Emergency Situations and Civil Defence Sergei Shoigu.

We expanded the list, and we will probably have to expand it even further after a while, because first of all, that is in Serbia’s interest, said Bubalo and added that it was important that Kudrin be fully acquainted with the matter because the Russian Ministry of Finance has to assess the effects of the agreement.

Following the meeting, Kudrin stated that the meeting will be an incentive for solving these issues.

Naturally, we will discuss liberalisation of our trade relations and the increase in the volume, said Kudrin and voiced belief that cooperation between the countries will be further improved.

He said that upon his return to Moscow, he will issue orders regarding the expansion of the list of products from the free trade regime and the repair of the Djerdap power plant, which the Russian government will look into.