MOSCOW (Reuters) - Serbia is actually using a "long and uncertain" route to joining your European Union although will never throw in the towel it's lay claim that will Kosovo with the sake involving membership, President-elect Tomislav Nikolic informed Russian President Vladimir Putin about Saturday.
It ended up being Nikolic's first international getaway because he was chosen president with May 20. The election of the an old leader from the ultranationalist Radical Party brought on conjecture the united states may well get away from its pro-Western route steered considering the actual overthrow associated with overdue Serb strongman Slobodan Milosevic within 2000.
But aides for you to Nikolic reported the particular take a look at to help Russia were being structured before his surprise election victory and also Nikolic reported his primary endorsed foreign visit following they're inaugurated president would be to Brussels on June 12.
The conference along with Nikolic was additionally Putin's first find having a foreign chief from outdoor the previous Soviet Union given that he / she came back to be able to Russia's presidency for the six-year time period on May 7.
The pair spoken warmly of ties between their own nations, which share mainly Slavic, Orthodox Christian culture, animus towards NATO about their 1999 bombing plan versus Milosevic's authorities and opposition to the liberty connected with Kosovo.
"We observe Serbia when each of our spiritual brothers," stated Putin, who seem to found Nikolic about the sidelines of a congress with the dominating United Russia celebration just outside the Kremlin.
Nikolic explained to Putin that will "Serbia is often a significant other of Russia inside Balkans" along with said they would likely protect this pastimes regarding Serbia and Russia. But Nikolic likewise supplied even more assurance of which they wants Serbia for you to subscribe to the particular EU.
"Serbia is actually traveling for the EU. It may be a lengthy and doubtful road. We will probably order each of our state in accordance towards the rules that are present in the EU," Nikolic instructed Putin, as outlined by Russian news flash organization Itar-Tass in addition to Serbia's Tanjug.
He put in in which she has "not heard discover the problem of which Serbia will need to understand Kosovo. We is unable to do that, even when them meant smashing off talks from of which quite moment."
No mainstream political leader within Serbia has said they might take into account Kosovo as a swap with regard to EU accession, nor features this demand from customers also been explicitly made by the particular bloc.
The West is driving Belgrade to be able to "normalize relations" with its an old the southern part of province, but any very revealing demand with regard to reputation could be undermined by the undeniable fact that personal trainer of the EU's 27 EU users do not understand Kosovo seeing that independent.
Putin has desired to raise economic jewelry together with Serbia. He told Nikolic in which Russia ended up being "ready" to produce a strong $800 million infrastructure betterment mortgage containing for ages been under negotiation, but could not say when it could be finalized.
The Serbian commercial infrastructure ministry said around December that this characteristics possessed entered ultimate negotiations for any loan product to modernize the actual Balkan country's dilapidated track network. It will be portion of a wider economic pact do we agree throughout 2009.
(Additional confirming simply by Matthew Robinson throughout Belgrade; Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by simply Jon Hemming)
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