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Lavrov to meet with Serbian leadership in Belgrade

Russian Foreign Minister is expected to discuss collaboration between Russia and Serbia and the situation in the Balkans with Serbian leaders and to take part in a session of BSEC

BELGRADE, December 12. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov begins a two-day visit to Belgrade on Monday. He is expected to discuss collaboration between Russia and Serbia and the situation in the Balkans with Serbian leaders and to take part in a session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC).

The itinerary of Lavrov’s visit envisions meetings with President Tomislav Nikolic, Prime Minister Alexander Vucic, and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic.

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Serbian ambassador calls for more Russian ‘soft power’ in the Balkans

"In the course of the talks, the sides will do a profound review of the major issues of bilateral and international relations, will assess the dynamics of (action under) the previous agreements and will consider steps towards further cooperation," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in connection with the visit.

It stressed the role of a permanent and trustful political dialogue at top level in the deepening of relations. Russian President Vladimir Putin had talks with President Nikolic in Moscow in March and received Prime Minister Vucic in May.

"In line with an invitation from the Serbian side, the two countries are considering a working visit to Serbia by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the dates of the visit will be coordinated separately," the Foreign Ministry said.

"Participation of the deputies of Skupshtina (Serbia’s national parliament - TASS) in a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization as observers, the top-level reception the CSTO Secretary General, Nikolai Bordyuzha, received in Belgrade in April, and the Russian-Serbian-Belarusian military exercise Slavic Brotherhood that was held in Serbia on November 9-15 came across as bold instances of Serbia’s balances course that aims to maintain genuine neutrality in the current highly complications situation in Europe," the ministry said.

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Sergey Lavrov Serbia

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