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169885
Tue, 03/22/2011 - 08:17
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Putin to discuss South Stream, Libya, Kosovo during Balkan tour
MOSCOW, March 22 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin begins on Tuesday a two-day Balkan tour, during which the South Stream gas pipeline project, Kosovo and Libya will be discussed among other issues.
This trip "is aimed at giving an impetus to Russia's cooperation with Slovenia and Serbia," Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said at a briefing. "We have traditionally good relations with these countries and our cooperation develops actively," he stressed.
Talks with the Slovenian leadership will be held on Tuesday. "Russia and Slovenia have had a lot of high-level contacts over the recent years," the deputy chief of staff of the Russian government said. "Vladimir Putin has repeatedly met with the leadership of that country. Thus, last November talks were held with Slovenian President Danilo Turk, who was on a visit to Russia," he said.
In Ljubljana, Putin will hold full-scale talks with his counterpart Borut Pahor as well as will meet with the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Pavel Gantar.
Some ten documents are prepared for the signing in Ljubljana.
Agreements will be signed on setting up a joint company that will design, build and operate the Slovenian section of the South Stream gas pipeline, Ushakov said.
A memorandum on mutual understanding between Russia's Gazpromneft and the Slovenian energy company Petrol is to be signed among other documents.
Besides, Russia and Slovenia will sign an intergovernmental agreement on the establishment and activity of centers of science and culture,
memorandums of understanding and cooperation in the sphere of agriculture, as well as in the sphere of standardization. Representatives of Russia's Ulyanovsk region and the Slovenian Economics Ministry will sign a memorandum on cooperation.
"In 2009 trade between Russia and Slovenia declined by 41 percent," Ushakov noted. However, the two countries managed to quickly improve the situation in 2010, increasing trade by 38 percent, he added. "As a result trade turnover amounted to 1.2 billion dollars, which practically means that we have returned to the pre-crisis level," Ushakov said.
On Wednesday, the Russian prime minister will have talks in Serbia.
This will be Putin's second visit to Belgrade. He first visited Serbia in June 2001 as Russian president. Putin will meet with Serbian President Boris Tadic and then Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic will join the talks.
He is also expected to meet with the leaders of parliamentary parties.
The situation around Kosovo is one of the focal topics to be discussed in Belgrade. "Taking into consideration the Libyan factor, the fact that the prime minister visits Serbia on March 23 will be of importance," Ushakov stressed, reminding the audience that "March 24, 1999, is the date when NATO aviation began air attacks upon Serbia".
The latest UN Security Council's resolution on Libya is reminiscent of medieval calls for crusades, Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
"The UN Security Council resolution is certainly faulty and
deficient," he said. "It allows for an invasion of a sovereign country. It looks like a medieval call for a crusade."
"The easiness of making a decision to use force is alarming," Putin said. "This acquires a stable tendency in the U.S. policy," he added. The prime minister recalled air raids on Yugoslavia under President Clinton, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan under President Bush. Now it is Libya's turn, he added, characterizing an armed operation of coalition forces in Libya as "an invasion from outside".
The implementation of the South Stream project is another major issue on the agenda. According to Ushakov, the feasibility study of the Serbian section has been completed, and a joint venture is operating. Gazprom's share in it is 51 percent, while the share of Srbijagas is 49 percent.
A major package of documents is prepared for the signing in Belgrade, including agreements between the governments on scientific cooperation, on cooperation in the sphere of tourism, on international car communication.
"Relations between Russia and Serbia are friendly and trust-based," Ushakov stressed. "In 2010 mutual trade grew 27 percent, making up 1.4 billion dollars," he added.
This trip "is aimed at giving an impetus to Russia's cooperation with Slovenia and Serbia," Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said at a briefing. "We have traditionally good relations with these countries and our cooperation develops actively," he stressed.
Talks with the Slovenian leadership will be held on Tuesday. "Russia and Slovenia have had a lot of high-level contacts over the recent years," the deputy chief of staff of the Russian government said. "Vladimir Putin has repeatedly met with the leadership of that country. Thus, last November talks were held with Slovenian President Danilo Turk, who was on a visit to Russia," he said.
In Ljubljana, Putin will hold full-scale talks with his counterpart Borut Pahor as well as will meet with the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Pavel Gantar.
Some ten documents are prepared for the signing in Ljubljana.
Agreements will be signed on setting up a joint company that will design, build and operate the Slovenian section of the South Stream gas pipeline, Ushakov said.
A memorandum on mutual understanding between Russia's Gazpromneft and the Slovenian energy company Petrol is to be signed among other documents.
Besides, Russia and Slovenia will sign an intergovernmental agreement on the establishment and activity of centers of science and culture,
memorandums of understanding and cooperation in the sphere of agriculture, as well as in the sphere of standardization. Representatives of Russia's Ulyanovsk region and the Slovenian Economics Ministry will sign a memorandum on cooperation.
"In 2009 trade between Russia and Slovenia declined by 41 percent," Ushakov noted. However, the two countries managed to quickly improve the situation in 2010, increasing trade by 38 percent, he added. "As a result trade turnover amounted to 1.2 billion dollars, which practically means that we have returned to the pre-crisis level," Ushakov said.
On Wednesday, the Russian prime minister will have talks in Serbia.
This will be Putin's second visit to Belgrade. He first visited Serbia in June 2001 as Russian president. Putin will meet with Serbian President Boris Tadic and then Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic will join the talks.
He is also expected to meet with the leaders of parliamentary parties.
The situation around Kosovo is one of the focal topics to be discussed in Belgrade. "Taking into consideration the Libyan factor, the fact that the prime minister visits Serbia on March 23 will be of importance," Ushakov stressed, reminding the audience that "March 24, 1999, is the date when NATO aviation began air attacks upon Serbia".
The latest UN Security Council's resolution on Libya is reminiscent of medieval calls for crusades, Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
"The UN Security Council resolution is certainly faulty and
deficient," he said. "It allows for an invasion of a sovereign country. It looks like a medieval call for a crusade."
"The easiness of making a decision to use force is alarming," Putin said. "This acquires a stable tendency in the U.S. policy," he added. The prime minister recalled air raids on Yugoslavia under President Clinton, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan under President Bush. Now it is Libya's turn, he added, characterizing an armed operation of coalition forces in Libya as "an invasion from outside".
The implementation of the South Stream project is another major issue on the agenda. According to Ushakov, the feasibility study of the Serbian section has been completed, and a joint venture is operating. Gazprom's share in it is 51 percent, while the share of Srbijagas is 49 percent.
A major package of documents is prepared for the signing in Belgrade, including agreements between the governments on scientific cooperation, on cooperation in the sphere of tourism, on international car communication.
"Relations between Russia and Serbia are friendly and trust-based," Ushakov stressed. "In 2010 mutual trade grew 27 percent, making up 1.4 billion dollars," he added.
