Putin discussed NATO, S. Stream with MPs

Russian PM Vladimir Putin told party whips at the Serbian parliament that Serbia's citizens and political elite should be deciding "which way Serbia would go". Russia would not interfere with Serbia's decisions, Putin said, but added, however, that NATO expansion toward Russia's boundaries would create a sense of danger in his country, head of the ruling Democratic Party (DS)-led coalition group Nada Kolundzija said late on Tuesday. Putin discussed NATO, S. Stream with MPs According to her, Putin stressed that Russia was aware of the limits it should not exceed in the protection of its interests, but Kolundzija added that she personally believed “it will never happen that Serbia is against the Russian Federation, no matter which way it went.” Kolundzija assessed Putin's visit as extremely important for Serbia, adding that the official Moscow was interested in developing cooperation with the country. She also noted that the Russian prime minister had presented arguments to show that Serbia's involvement in the South Stream project acquires was a huge asset. “Putin pointed out that it is in their interest to get the project completed,” said Kolundzija, adding that there is room for further strengthening the economic cooperation between Serbia and Russia. She said that Putin had spoken out about Kosovo and Metohija, and that he had told Serbian MPs that Moscow respected the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and would remain consistent in respecting the resolution. Kolundzija said that, at the start of his meeting with heads of deputy groups, the Russian prime minister observed: "If in the Duma we had so many parties, we would have done nothing". Putin was greeted at the parliament by Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic (Beta) NATO finds way into agenda Association of Journalists of Serbia President and former Politika daily Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Smajlovic told B92 that the key message of the Wednesday visit was that "while we are historic allies, our relationship will change radically if Serbia joined NATO". "Why did Putin find it appropriate to, despite our (military) neutrality, speak about that subject with so much passion and energy? I assume because Russians have read, as have I, the WikiLeaks cables where American authorities are being relayed President Tadic's message that he was aware Serbia could not remain outside of NATO indefinitely, but that this was still a politically sensitive subject for us, and that this cannot be said publicly," Smajlovic noted. She believes that economy-related topics were the most important items on the agenda of meetings, but that Putin also touched on NATO because this was important to him. The Russian prime minister's visit came only one day ahead of the 12th anniversary of the start of NATO's war against Serbia, and the current military campaign against Libya was also discussed yesterday in Belgrade. Smajlovic believes "parallels can be drawn" between the two crises. "The main thing here is that after the 1999 attacks on Serbia, and especially after Iraq, nobody's even thinking about bombing a country without the UN Security Council approval, and that is the key difference between the bombings of Serbia and Libya," Smajlovic said, and noted that Russia allowed for the attacks on Libya to take place, "no matter what Putin may say about that now".

Putin discussed NATO, S. Stream with MPs

According to her, Putin stressed that Russia was aware of the limits it should not exceed in the protection of its interests, but Kolundžija added that she personally believed “it will never happen that Serbia is against the Russian Federation, no matter which way it went.”

Kolundžija assessed Putin's visit as extremely important for Serbia, adding that the official Moscow was interested in developing cooperation with the country.

She also noted that the Russian prime minister had presented arguments to show that Serbia's involvement in the South Stream project acquires was a huge asset.

“Putin pointed out that it is in their interest to get the project completed,” said Kolundžija, adding that there is room for further strengthening the economic cooperation between Serbia and Russia.

She said that Putin had spoken out about Kosovo and Metohija, and that he had told Serbian MPs that Moscow respected the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and would remain consistent in respecting the resolution.

Kolundžija said that, at the start of his meeting with heads of deputy groups, the Russian prime minister observed: "If in the Duma we had so many parties, we would have done nothing".

NATO finds way into agenda

Association of Journalists of Serbia President and former Politika daily Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Smajlović told B92 that the key message of the Wednesday visit was that "while we are historic allies, our relationship will change radically if Serbia joined NATO".

"Why did Putin find it appropriate to, despite our (military) neutrality, speak about that subject with so much passion and energy? I assume because Russians have read, as have I, the WikiLeaks cables where American authorities are being relayed President Tadić's message that he was aware Serbia could not remain outside of NATO indefinitely, but that this was still a politically sensitive subject for us, and that this cannot be said publicly," Smajlović noted.

She believes that economy-related topics were the most important items on the agenda of meetings, but that Putin also touched on NATO because this was important to him.

The Russian prime minister's visit came only one day ahead of the 12th anniversary of the start of NATO's war against Serbia, and the current military campaign against Libya was also discussed yesterday in Belgrade.

Smajlović believes "parallels can be drawn" between the two crises.

"The main thing here is that after the 1999 attacks on Serbia, and especially after Iraq, nobody's even thinking about bombing a country without the UN Security Council approval, and that is the key difference between the bombings of Serbia and Libya," Smajlović said, and noted that Russia allowed for the attacks on Libya to take place, "no matter what Putin may say about that now".