Vulin: Serbia to continue to pursue policy in interest of its citizens

MOSCOW - Russian FM Sergey Lavrov met with Serbian Deputy PM Aleksandar Vulin on the sidelines of the 2nd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security on Thursday.

Vulin and Lavrov agreed that a recent conversation between the presidents of Serbia and Russia, Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin, is significant for the relations of the two countries, the Serbian government said in a statement.

Vulin noted that Serbia, "led by Europe's last free leader, will continue to pursue a policy that is exclusively in the interest of its citizens and to preserve traditional friendships," the statement said.

He added that Serbia's participation in the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, best indicated the free policy it pursued.

Vulin thanked Russia for the secure and predictable natural gas supplies to Serbia, as well as for additional gas quantities made available to Serbia at favourable prices, the ministry also said.

According to a statement from the Russian MFA, Lavrov and Vulin confirmed a commitment to full development of bilateral relations despite external pressure.

Exchanging views on the situation in the Balkans, they devoted heightened attention to the situation in Serbia's Autonomous Province of Kosovo-Metohija in light of the current anti-Serb repression by the Pristina authorities, the statement said.

The need to rely on UNSCR1244 in the search for a solution to the Kosovo-Metohija issue was highlighted as an unwavering condition for finding a just solution to the "Kosovo crisis" and for maintaining peace and stability in the Balkan region.

Vulin and Lavrov also discussed other relevant aspects of international politics.