Russia–Serbia relations

Serbian-Russian relations refer to bilateral foreign relations between Serbia and Russia. Serbia and Russia maintain diplomatic relations since 1838.

Serbia has an embassy in Moscow and Russia has an embassy in Belgrade and liaison office in Priština. Current Russian Ambassador to Serbia is Alexander V. Konuzin and the current Serbian Ambassador to Russia is Stanimir Vukićević.

Yugoslavia recognized Russia in December 1991 by the Decision of the Presidency on the recognition of the former republics of the USSR. Diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and the USSR were established on June 24, 1940, and Serbia and the Russian Federation recognize the continuity of all inter-State documents signed between the two countries. There are about 70 bilateral treaties, agreements and protocols signed in the past. Serbia and the Russian Federation have signed and ratified 43 bilateral agreements and treaties in diverse areas of mutual cooperation so far. [ [http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Policy/Bilaterala/Russia/basic_e.html Bilateral Political Relations with Russia] , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia]

According to 2002 census there were 2,588 Russians living in Serbia.PDFlink| [http://webrzs.statserb.sr.gov.yu/axd/Zip/VJN3.pdf Official Results of Serbian Census 2003–Population] |441 KiB , pp. 12-13] According to 2002 census there were 4,156 Serbs living in Russia. [Федеральная служба государственной статистики: [http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/html/TOM_14_24.htm 4.1. Национальный состав населения] ]

Political relations

Serbia and Russia have been very active in bilateral political meetings.

Highest level visits of Serbian officials to Russia include President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Koštunica meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in October 2000, visit by the Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić in February 2001, visit by the Federal Prime Minister Zoran Žižić in April 2001, visit by the Prime Minister of Vojislav Koštunica to Sochi in June 2004, President of Serbia and Montenegro Svetozar Marović attended the 60th anniversary of Victory Day in 2005, President Boris Tadić and the Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica attended the National Exhibition of Serbia in Moscow in November 2005.

Highest level visits of Russian officials to Serbia include visit of the President Vladimir Putin in June 2001 and visit of the President-elect Dmitry Medvedev in early 2008.

Visits by other high officials such as Ministers of Foreign Affairs or Chairmen of Parliaments are held on average once a month. [ [http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Policy/Bilaterala/Russia/basic_e.html Meetings between Top Leaders and High-ranking Officials of Russia and Serbia] , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia]

Kosovo

Russia backs Serbia's position regarding Kosovo. Vladimir Putin said that any support for Kosovo's unilateral declaration is immoral and illegal. [cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/14/content_7604675.htm|title=Putin: supports for Kosovo unilateral independence "immoral, illegal"|publisher=Xinhua|date=2008-02-14|accessdate=2008-02-25] He described the recognition of Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence by several major world powers as "a terrible precedent" that "breaks up the entire system of international relations" that have taken "centuries to evolve", and "undoubtedly, it may entail a whole chain of unpredictable consequences to other regions in the world" that will come back to hit the West "in the face". [cite web|title=Putin calls Kosovo independence 'terrible precedent'|url=http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/1203714121.65/|date=2008-02-22|accessdate=2008-07-18] During an official state visit to Serbia following the declaration, Russian President-elect Dmitry Medvedev reiterated support for Serbia and its stance on Kosovo. [ [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4F26C374-04C6-49E9-90EC-5A835CB96817.htm Medvedev pledges support for Serbia] "Al Jazeera English", 25 February 25 2008. Link accessed 2008-03-07.]

Russia has also said that the recent violence in Tibet is linked with the recognition by some states of the independence of Serbia's breakaway province, Kosovo. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in an interview with a Russian newspaper, also linked the demands for greater autonomy by ethnic Albanians in Macedonia with the Kosovo issue. Lavrov said, "There are grounds to presume that this is not occurring by chance. You can see what is happening in Tibet, how the separatists there are acting. The Albanians in Macedonia are already demanding a level of autonomy that is a clear step toward independence. Furthermore, events in other areas of the world give us grounds to assume that we are only at the beginning of a very precarious process". [cite news|url=http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/338778/cs/1/|title=Russia links Tibet violence to Kosovo precedent |publisher=RIA Novosti|date=2008-03-18|accessdate=2008-03-19]

On March 23 Vladimir Putin ordered urgent humanitarian aid for Kosovo Serb enclaves. [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Russia/idUSL2452567520080324 Russia's Putin orders aid for Kosovo Serb enclaves] ] Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, opposed the Russian plan for sending aid to Kosovo Serbs. He stated that Russia could only send aid if it was agreed and coordinated with Government in Pristina. [ [http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=26&nav_id=48807 Thaci opposes Russian aid to Kosovo Serbs] ]

On July 15, President Dmitry Medvedev stated in a major foreign policy speech "For the EU, Kosovo is almost what Iraq is to the United States.... This is the latest example of the undermining of international law". [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/16/2304710.htm?section=world Russia's Medvedev condemns Western 'paternalism'] ]

Recent bilateral meetings

Economic relations

Russia is an important partner in Serbias economic cooperation with the world and is in first place in terms of trade volume. Commodity trade between the two countries in 2005 increased over that in 2004 and in the first nine months of 2005 amounted to more than US$ 1,366 billion. Exports from Serbia amounted to US$ 159 million, while its imports amounted to US$ 1.207 billion.

Energy sources (oil, oil products and gas making up 83.5 per cent on the import side), raw materials and machine-building products account for the preponderant part of imports from the Russian Federation, while Serbia exports pharmaceutical products, flooring, machines, equipment, food, textiles and other consumer goods. [ [http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Policy/Bilaterala/Russia/basic_e.html Economic relations with Russia] , Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Culture and education

Yugoslavia and the Russian Federation signed the Agreement on cooperation in the Fields of Culture, Education, Science and Sports on July 19, 1995. Based on this Agreement a Program of Cooperation in the Areas of Education, Science and Culture was signed in December 2001 for the period 2002-2004. The Days of Culture of the Russian Federation were held in Serbia and Montenegro in 2002 and those of Serbia and Montenegro in the Russian Federation in 2003. [ [http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Policy/Bilaterala/Russia/basic_e.html Cultural-educational cooperation with Serbia] , Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia]

The Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Belgrade has opened on April 9, 1933. Popular name of the centre is "Russian House". [ [http://www.ruskidom.org.yu/pages_sr/ord.htm About us] , Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Belgrade]

ee also

*Foreign relations of Serbia
*Foreign relations of Russia
*Embassy of Serbia in Moscow

References

External links

* [http://www.ambasadarusije.org.yu/ Embassy of Russia in Belgrade]
* [http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Embassies/moskva/moskva_e.html Information regarding Serbian embassy in Moscow]
* [http://www.ruskidom.org.yu/ The Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Belgrade]
* [http://www.srpska.ru/ Russian language news site on Serbia]
* [http://www.ruskistudentiscg.com/ Association of Serbian and Montenegrin students in Russia]