FM talks NATO bombing, Russia, Libya

FM Vuk Jeremic said the NATO attacks in 1999 would be remembered as the culmination of the tragedy for our country. For this reason, he said, few people in Serbia can now be indifferent to what was currently taking place in Libya. FM talks NATO bombing, Russia, Libya “This period (the 1999 NATO bombing) will always remind us of how disastrous can the consequences of wrong policies be. We must not allow ourselves to get into such a situation ever again,” Jeremic told the Belgrade-based Pink television, adding that this does not mean abandoning national interests and priorities. Minister Jeremic said that Serbia considered it necessary for all combat operations in Libya to stop, since, according to him, it was not the way to resolve political issues. “Today we are still burdened with the same problems which remained unresolved even after the air strikes against Serbia,” Jeremic pointed out, adding that Serbia wanted the “full implementation of all decisions of the Security Council and immediate ceasefire in Libya, in order to avoid further war destruction and civilian casualties.” “Not many citizens of Serbia can remain indifferent at seeing what is currently happening in Libya. We have the tragic experience with air strikes against our country and the suffering of civilians. Therefore, we deeply sympathize with the friendly people,” he underlined. Speaking about Serbia's decision not to participate in the economic forum in Baltimore, which was due to the announced participation of a Kosovo delegation, Jeremic said that the impression was that the delegation was formed in a strained manner only to make Kosovo participate on a par with Serbia. The Serbian foreign minister recalled that the main reason for the Wednesday visit of the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Belgrade had been economic issues, while the political ones would be discussed during the visit of his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to Serbia in April. “This process will be coordinated by President Tadic's state-level visit to Moscow, where he will have the opportunity to meet with Russian President Medvedev to sign the agreement on strategic partnership between Serbia and Russia,” Jeremic said, adding that the relations between the two countries were excellent. Jeremic reiterated that Serbia was a militarily neutral country, without ambitions towards membership in NATO or any other military alliance, which is why, he said, the matter had not been part of the official talks with Putin on Thursday. “Whatever the future pace of the process in the Western Balkans may be, a single constant will be at the same level where it is today, which is that is that Serbia is the best friend of Russia and vice versa,” Jeremic concluded. Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug)

FM talks NATO bombing, Russia, Libya

“This period (the 1999 NATO bombing) will always remind us of how disastrous can the consequences of wrong policies be. We must not allow ourselves to get into such a situation ever again,” Jeremić told the Belgrade-based Pink television, adding that this does not mean abandoning national interests and priorities.

Minister Jeremić said that Serbia considered it necessary for all combat operations in Libya to stop, since, according to him, it was not the way to resolve political issues.

“Today we are still burdened with the same problems which remained unresolved even after the air strikes against Serbia,” Jeremić pointed out, adding that Serbia wanted the “full implementation of all decisions of the Security Council and immediate ceasefire in Libya, in order to avoid further war destruction and civilian casualties.”

“Not many citizens of Serbia can remain indifferent at seeing what is currently happening in Libya. We have the tragic experience with air strikes against our country and the suffering of civilians. Therefore, we deeply sympathize with the friendly people,” he underlined.

Speaking about Serbia's decision not to participate in the economic forum in Baltimore, which was due to the announced participation of a Kosovo delegation, Jeremić said that the impression was that the delegation was formed in a strained manner only to make Kosovo participate on a par with Serbia.

The Serbian foreign minister recalled that the main reason for the Wednesday visit of the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Belgrade had been economic issues, while the political ones would be discussed during the visit of his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to Serbia in April.

“This process will be coordinated by President Tadić's state-level visit to Moscow, where he will have the opportunity to meet with Russian President Medvedev to sign the agreement on strategic partnership between Serbia and Russia,” Jeremić said, adding that the relations between the two countries were excellent.

Jeremić reiterated that Serbia was a militarily neutral country, without ambitions towards membership in NATO or any other military alliance, which is why, he said, the matter had not been part of the official talks with Putin on Thursday.

“Whatever the future pace of the process in the Western Balkans may be, a single constant will be at the same level where it is today, which is that is that Serbia is the best friend of Russia and vice versa,” Jeremić concluded.