Ambassador: Declaration is expression of joint goals

BELGRADE Serbia and Russia will sign the declaration on strategic partnership as an expression of their ambitions to develop future cooperation in key areas. These include politics, economy and culture, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Chepurin said on Thursday. Ambassador: Declaration is expression of joint goals Ahead of the meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 24, Chepurin told Tanjug an article about the need for regular political contact had been added to the declaration at Serbia's request. In view of similar troubles in battling corruption and terrorism, a proposal for closer cooperation between the two nation's interior ministries was also accepted, Chepurin said. Russia and Serbia have traditionally cooperated closely and in a friendly fashion, with issues being resolved not through pressure but by finding mutually beneficial elements, he said. The Kosovo issue and the talks between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels will be discussed by the two presidents, Chepurin noted, reiterating Russia's stand of not recognizing Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. Russia has always supported Serbia and will continue to do so, he stated, underscoring that Kosovo was an issue of sovereign Serbia and the Serbian people. The Serbian government understands well what kind of document it is signing (with Pristina), and Russia is prepared to support Serbia in making decisions on important issues, he said. Russia wants to see a solution that will satisfy Serbia and the Kosovo Serbs, Chepurin stressed. Ambassador Chepurin (Tanjug) Tanjug

Ambassador: Declaration is expression of joint goals

Ahead of the meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi on May 24, Chepurin told Tanjug an article about the need for regular political contact had been added to the declaration at Serbia's request.

In view of similar troubles in battling corruption and terrorism, a proposal for closer cooperation between the two nation's interior ministries was also accepted, Chepurin said.

Russia and Serbia have traditionally cooperated closely and in a friendly fashion, with issues being resolved not through pressure but by finding mutually beneficial elements, he said.

The Kosovo issue and the talks between Belgrade and Priština in Brussels will be discussed by the two presidents, Chepurin noted, reiterating Russia's stand of not recognizing Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence.

Russia has always supported Serbia and will continue to do so, he stated, underscoring that Kosovo was an issue of sovereign Serbia and the Serbian people.

The Serbian government understands well what kind of document it is signing (with Priština), and Russia is prepared to support Serbia in making decisions on important issues, he said.

Russia wants to see a solution that will satisfy Serbia and the Kosovo Serbs, Chepurin stressed.