Working Visit to Russia by Vuk Jeremic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia

Talks took place on December 15 between Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Vuk Jeremic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, who is on a working visit to Moscow. They discussed bilateral questions, the prospects for Russian-Serbian political dialogue, topical international themes, and Balkan problems.

The parties commended the level and quality of interaction between Russia and Serbia. They reiterated a mutual desire to build a strategic partnership between our two countries, stressed the interest in expanding trade, economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian cooperation, and stated the importance of further improving the legal framework. The Ministers reviewed the progress of implementation of the key economic projects, particularly in the oil and gas industry.

When considering international topics the heads of the foreign affairs agencies of Russia and Serbia expressed the readiness to continue close cooperation under the pan-European agenda, particularly in the context of efforts to establish a system of legally binding security assurances in the Euro-Atlantic space. They held an in-depth exchange of views on the situation in Kosovo settlement. The Russian side accentuated its commitment to a principled line in favor of maintaining the leading role of the United Nations and its Security Council in this process based on UNSCR 1244 and of achieving a compromise solution through negotiations. Certain other issues on the international agenda, including the subjects of the OSCE and the Bosnian settlement were also discussed.

Lavrov and Jeremic signed a plan of ministerial consultations for 2011-2012.

December 15, 2010