BELGRADE, September 6. /TASS/. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has received a list of participants of the BRICS summit in Kazan and admitted that the delegations from "strong, powerful and important" countries would attend it, he said after a meeting with Russian Ambassador Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko.
"I would like to emphasize that we discussed all the essential bilateral issues that are interesting to our two countries. First and foremost, I briefed Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and the daily provocations, brutal provocations, daily threats to peace and stability and the ineffective response from all those who have been engaged in dialogue and who should have guaranteed the results of this dialogue. I said that the Serbian people find themselves in a prickly situation and I think that we have found understanding from the Russian side on this issue," Vucic told reporters after his meeting with the Russian diplomat.
"We also spoke about the invitation to attend the major BRICS summit, which was sent to Serbia and to me personally. Before I had received the list of participants, which, I must admit, is not simply extensive. It is about exceptionally strong, important and powerful countries. As a thank you for the invitation, I told the Russian ambassador everything I have told you. I believe that we will continue these talks with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin, including on the liberation of Belgrade (commemorations on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade - TASS) and all the other issues," the Serbian president said.
In addition, Vucic specified that during his conversation with Ambassador Botsan-Kharchenko, they touched upon economic cooperation issues, including "the construction of the Russian Railways’ dispatch center." He also spoke about the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belgrade, in which "the Red Army largely took part" and a tour of the Bolshoi Theater in Serbia.
"We also talked about things that matter to us. You know how Russia helped us regarding the imposed resolutions on Srebrenica and other issues. We also touched upon cooperation in the United Nations and in other international bodies and organizations. I believe that in the near future we will be able to show that there are topics that are interesting to both countries and on which we can find agreement. I also pointed out that it is vitally important for us to accelerate talks on the gas supply agreement," Vucic said.
Invitation to BRICS summit
Earlier, the Serbian president told reporters that he would decide on attending the BRICS summit in Kazan after October 10, whereas the allegations about his refusal to accept Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invitation to the summit are false. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin said that Vucic’s visit to Kazan "will be coordinated with the Russian president during a phone call, which has already been scheduled."
At a meeting Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin on September 4, Putin said that Vucic had been invited to the BRICS summit. Later, the Serbian leader confirmed that he had received the invitation, but said that some "important guests" were expected in the country during that time. Vulin said at a meeting with the Russian president that Belgrade was under enormous pressure from the West due to its allied relations with Russia.