Serbia wants to maintain friendly relations with all countries and expects similar reciprocity, while it has no intention of joining the Western-imposed anti-Russia sanctions bandwagon, the country’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said in an interview with Izvestia daily. “Serbia considers both the United States and Britain to be friendly countries, though we cannot view their moves as friendly actions. Two years ago Britain proposed a draft resolution, which accused the Serbian people of genocide without informing Serbia about it, and Russia was the only state to veto the resolution,” he said. “Ten days ago, Britain proposed to cancel regular UN Security Council sessions on Kosovo and Metohija and recommended replacing them with closed consultations, again failing to inform Serbia. The US was quick to support the position, while Russia and China opposed it, the minister said, adding that Serbia “is eager to maintain a good partnership with all, though it expects the other side to be ready for it.”
“Both President Vucic and I consider Russia to be a true friend of Serbia and will further work to step up cooperation on all levels – political and particularly economic. We are really grateful for Russia’s support both in the United Nations and on other global platforms, and we are also grateful for (Russia) supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Dacic told the newspaper. However, he admitted that given the climate of anti-Russia hysteria, western countries are turning up the heat on Serbia due to Moscow’s influence in the region. Nevertheless, he rejected assumptions that the country might get on board the anti-Russia sanctions campaign. “We want to maintain full-fledged cooperation and friendly ties with Russia in the political and economic arena, in science, culture, education, as well as on issues related to defense, security and military production, and we will do it further don the road. That is why Serbia will stick to its policy and will not join the European sanctions against Russia. Moreover, we hope and want the anti-Russia sanctions to be lifted as soon as possible,” the minister said. “Of course, we face the ramifications of our decision, as Serbia is seeking to join the European Union, but we will never go against our own national interests and will never impose sanctions against friends,” he added.
These double standards have resulted in a paradoxical situation when “subsidiaries from Russia, which have been registered and have operations in Serbia were put on the sanctions list, while subsidiaries of Russian firms registered in the European Union were not restricted,” Dacic pointed out. According to the top diplomat, “the Russian Federation is a reliable and traditional friend of Serbia. Besides, it is one of the most important economic partners and markets for Serbian goods. Our relations are based on mutual respect, trust and continued support that Russia provides to Serbia,” he said, adding that “the Serbian government firmly intends to expand political and economic relations with all states that strive to do so, on the basis of equality and mutual respect.”