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Russia and Serbia to make their cooperation more all-embracing, substantial — envoy

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had to cancel his trip to Serbia after Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro refused to open their airspace to his plane

BELGRADE, June 7. /TASS/. Diplomats are working hard to make friendship and cooperation between Russia and Serbia more all-embracing and substantial, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko said at an Embassy reception on Tuesday.

"I thank you for coming here today to celebrate forthcoming Russia Day together," the diplomat said, addressing senior Serbian officials.

"I am now speaking officially, on behalf of President [Vladimir Putin] of Russia and Foreign Minister [Sergey Lavrov], but under the circumstances I also want to heartily thank you on behalf of all my colleagues here at the Embassy, in companies and organizations, with who we have been working," to promote the best possible development of bilateral ties and to make the two countries’ friendship and cooperation "more all-embracing and substantial", and ambassador said.

The reception was attended by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Parliament Speaker Ivica Dacic, Interior Minister Alexander Vulin and other senior Serbian officials.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had to cancel his trip to Serbia after Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro refused to open their airspace to his plane.

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