Vučić: Serbia will not change its policy towards Russia

BELGRADE, (Patria) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated today in Belgrade that countries should not be put before a "false choice" of being either with the West or with Russia.

Lavrov, at a press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, said that Russia is in favor of every country having absolute freedom of choice and being able to develop its foreign policy independently, Beta reported.

Russia welcomes Belgrade's efforts to develop its relations not only with the EU but also with the Eurasian Economic Union.

"We know that the EU, within the accession chapters, sets certain conditions, including foreign policy conditions, among which are sanctions against Russia and recognition of Kosovo," Lavrov said.

He said that more and more countries in the EU believe that the policy of sanctions against Russia is counterproductive and expressed his belief that "this demand will not last long".

Lavrov said that Russia welcomes the efforts for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, but assessed that this dialogue does not ensure the implementation of agreements, primarily regarding the Community of Serb Municipalities or the special court for the crimes of the former KLA.

"I hope that Brussels and NATO will understand the danger of yielding to such sentiments in Pristina," Lavrov said regarding the statement of Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi about the Kosovo army.

He said that Moscow greatly appreciates the efforts undertaken by President Vučić regarding the tensions after the murder of Oliver Ivanović. The investigation into this crime should be completed as soon as possible and those responsible should be found.

Russian Minister Lavrov stated that Russia will not stand aside if Serbia requests its involvement in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on normalization of relations.

At a press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, he said that the dialogue is entrusted to the European Union, but that if the Albanians seek a change in the dialogue framework and the introduction of parties other than the EU, Russia will let Serbia decide what suits it.

Lavrov said that if the Albanians seek the involvement of the US, and Serbia invites Russia, it "will not stand aside".

He added that the EU must take additional steps to justify the trust placed in it to lead the dialogue.

Lavrov believes that the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center in Niš will continue to be needed and added that the staff of the center are only dealing with the tasks for which the center was formed.

He said that the Russian side invited a US military representative, as a country that expressed doubts about the humanitarian center, to visit the center.

"He inspected every centimeter and became convinced that the center is only dealing with the issues for which it was established," Lavrov said, reminding that on the other hand, in Kosovo, there is the US military base Bondsteel.

He added that four or five Russian officials at the center are performing their duties and that they have had important actions so far, including demining and responding to fires and floods in the region (Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece).

Vučić: Relations between Serbia and Russia are excellent, they have never worked against each other

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated today in Belgrade that over 180 years of diplomatic relations, Serbia and Russia have gone through "thick and thin" in the fight for the freedom of their peoples and have never worked against each other.

At a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Vučić expressed hope that global and economic circumstances will help realize the agreements between the two countries.

"We have never worked against each other, which is a rare occurrence in the history of any peoples in the world," Vučić said.

He said that Serbia and Russia have ever-improving economic relations and that the volume of trade is significantly increasing.

Serbia will not change its policy towards Russia

Vučić said that Serbia will not change its policy towards Russia regardless of potential pressures, that it will not impose sanctions, and that it will not change its position of military neutrality.

"I believe there will be pressure to change our relationship with Russia, but Serbia will respect its traditional relations with Russia and work on their further development. We are an independent country and we make decisions independently, whether someone likes it or not," Vučić said at a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"There is a moral obligation to respect what our peoples have built over these 180 years (since the establishment of relations), but also before that. Serbia will not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation. We hope to find understanding from the EU on this issue due to the specific relations between our countries. If that is not the case, Serbia is an independent and free country," said Vučić.

Less use of the language of accusations against other peoples

President Vučić assessed that it would be good if there were fewer accusations exchanged between peoples in BiH, as this does not lead to progress.

He added that statements that speak ill of other peoples do not bring any progress.

Serbia has no pretensions towards BiH and advocates for respect for the Dayton Agreement, said Vučić.