Russian Duma delegation in meetings with Serbian officials

BELGRADE Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic has expressed gratitude to the delegation of the Russian State Duma for the principled stand and support regarding Kosovo. “For the first time after many years, the country has the support and a parliamentary majority that is proud of the close ties with Russia,” Stefanovic said during the talks with the Russian Duma delegation headed by First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs in the Russian Duma Leonid Ivanovich Kalashnikov. Russian Duma delegation in meetings with Serbian officials "Serbia is under a lot of pressure because of its support to the institutions in northern Kosovo, but it will not stop funding them nor will it recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence,” Stefanovic said and added that the continuation of the dialogue with Pristina aims to ensure peace and normal life for Serbs in Kosovo. Stefanovic noted that Serbia accepts status-neutral talks and expressed gratitude to the Russian delegation for their country's support in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and joint efforts aimed at including UNMIK in the monitoring process in Kosovo-Metohija because Serbia wants the UN to reinforce its presence in the province. According to a release issued by the parliament, Stefanovic noted that Serbia is aware of the potential embodied in the economic agreements with Russia and their influence on the competitiveness in the market. Stefanovic informed the guests that Serbia would set up a parliamentary delegation for participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization as an observer. Recalling the long tradition of relations between Serbia and Russia, Kalashnikov underscored that regardless of the differences between the parties in the Russian State Duma, all political fractions see Serbia as a friendly country. Kalashnikov expressed the expectation that the two countries' cooperation would be reinforced primarily in the sectors of economy and cultural ties, and underscored the major possibilities in the free trade sector the benefits of which Serbia and Russia are already using. Speaking about international security, he underscored that Russia's aspirations are directed to Europe and Asia and the project of cooperation on the security issues within the Collective Security Treaty Organization. (Beta) Parties in State Duma support Serbia's sovereignty Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs in the Russian Duma Leonid Ivanovich Kalashnikov underscored on Monday that all parties in the Russian State Duma are united in their stand that Serbia should fight for the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and are willing to assist the country in this task. During a meeting with the representatives of the parliament committee for foreign affairs, Kalashnikov pointed to the good cooperation between the two country's parliaments in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and the need of mutual support on the international scene. Chairman of the Serbian parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Milos Aligrudic said that the government is trying to strike a balance between the efforts for Serbia's EU integration and the need to protect the country's territorial integrity. Aligrudic expressed gratitude to Russia on its principled stand regarding the Kosovo-Metohija issue and reiterated that the Democratic Party of Serbia believes Serbia should preserve the political and military neutral status and that political talks with Pristina should be conducted under the auspices of the UN and result in the solution of the status of the province. During the meeting, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee underscored the importance of Russia's assistance in the protection of Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija. They recalled the recent meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi which they assessed as important, not just because of the confirmation of the close relations, but also because of tangible agreements. Committee members backed the idea of a comprehensive improvement of bilateral relations and reinforcement of parliamentary cooperation and pointed out the possibility of economic cooperation and the need for Russian businessmen and investors going back to the Balkans. Tanjug

Russian Duma delegation in meetings with Serbian officials

"Serbia is under a lot of pressure because of its support to the institutions in northern Kosovo, but it will not stop funding them nor will it recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence,” Stefanović said and added that the continuation of the dialogue with Priština aims to ensure peace and normal life for Serbs in Kosovo.

Stefanović noted that Serbia accepts status-neutral talks and expressed gratitude to the Russian delegation for their country's support in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and joint efforts aimed at including UNMIK in the monitoring process in Kosovo-Metohija because Serbia wants the UN to reinforce its presence in the province.

According to a release issued by the parliament, Stefanović noted that Serbia is aware of the potential embodied in the economic agreements with Russia and their influence on the competitiveness in the market.

Stefanović informed the guests that Serbia would set up a parliamentary delegation for participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization as an observer.

Recalling the long tradition of relations between Serbia and Russia, Kalashnikov underscored that regardless of the differences between the parties in the Russian State Duma, all political fractions see Serbia as a friendly country.

Kalashnikov expressed the expectation that the two countries' cooperation would be reinforced primarily in the sectors of economy and cultural ties, and underscored the major possibilities in the free trade sector the benefits of which Serbia and Russia are already using.

Speaking about international security, he underscored that Russia's aspirations are directed to Europe and Asia and the project of cooperation on the security issues within the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Parties in State Duma support Serbia's sovereignty

Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs in the Russian Duma Leonid Ivanovich Kalashnikov underscored on Monday that all parties in the Russian State Duma are united in their stand that Serbia should fight for the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and are willing to assist the country in this task.

During a meeting with the representatives of the parliament committee for foreign affairs, Kalashnikov pointed to the good cooperation between the two country's parliaments in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and the need of mutual support on the international scene.

Chairman of the Serbian parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Milos Aligrudić said that the government is trying to strike a balance between the efforts for Serbia's EU integration and the need to protect the country's territorial integrity.

Aligrudić expressed gratitude to Russia on its principled stand regarding the Kosovo-Metohija issue and reiterated that the Democratic Party of Serbia believes Serbia should preserve the political and military neutral status and that political talks with Priština should be conducted under the auspices of the UN and result in the solution of the status of the province.

During the meeting, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee underscored the importance of Russia's assistance in the protection of Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo and Metohija.

They recalled the recent meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi which they assessed as important, not just because of the confirmation of the close relations, but also because of tangible agreements.

Committee members backed the idea of a comprehensive improvement of bilateral relations and reinforcement of parliamentary cooperation and pointed out the possibility of economic cooperation and the need for Russian businessmen and investors going back to the Balkans.