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Belarus leader wants to see heads of former Yugoslav republics in Minsk in 2016

Alexander Lukashenko hopes that Serbia will help him to organize this meeting
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Gennady Zhinkov/BelTA/TASS
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
© Gennady Zhinkov/BelTA/TASS

MINSK, November 20 /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic at a meeting on Friday that he would like to see the heads of republics of the former Yugoslavia in Minsk in 2016.

The meeting took place ahead of laying down a time capsule to mark the beginning of construction of a Minsk-Mir experimental multi-functional complex, which is to become one of Europe’s biggest financial centres in future. The Serbian side is to invest about $3 billion in its construction.

"Prior to the ceremony, the heads of state had met each other informally to discuss prospects for organizing a meeting of the heads of republics of the former Yugoslavia in Belarus in 2016," the presidential press service said.

Lukashenko hopes that Serbia will help him to organize this meeting. Tomislav Nikolic in turn told the Belarusian president that certain steps had already been made to ensure the participation of the presidents of Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Montenegro.

"The entire former Yugoslavia will gather here, and that will help our people live better. You are holding credit for it," Nikolic told Lukashenko.

The presidents discussed Nikolic’s three-day visit to Belarus during which a joint communique had been signed.