Turkish president starts Serbia visit

Source: Beta, Tanjug
BELGRADE -- Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadić to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries.Gul and tadić in Belgrade on Monday (Beta)

The two presidents appraised that these relations are at a "strategic partnership level".

After meeting with Tadić in Belgrade, Gul said that Serbia and Turkey "exist as good neighbors even though they do not share a border".

He said that Turkish companies are very interested in projects in Serbia, such as Corridor 10, because “Belgrade and Serbia are located at a key position in the Balkans”.

"As long as Serbia and Turkey support solving the same problems, there will be peace in the Balkans," Gul said, adding that the two countries have relations that are based "both on friendship and security".

The Turkish leader stated that an agreement to cut taxes and establish free trade, which will take effect at the end of the year, and several other agreements signed between the two countries on Monday, will be of great importance to Belgrade and Ankara.

Tadić said that Gul’s visit opens up space for "further cooperation and better friendship between Serbia and Turkey".

“In the past we have had many disagreements, but we want to see out future full of understanding and friendship,” Tadić said after the meeting.

He added that Turkey and Serbia are vital countries to all problems concerning the region.

In talks with Gul, whose country has recognized the Kosovo Albanian unilateral independence proclamation, Tadić repeated that Serbia will never recognize that act, and that it will fight through diplomatic and legal avenues to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Disagreements over Kosovo cannot be allowed to disrupt our relations,” Tadić was quoted as saying.

He also stated that the two countries "support each other in their European integration processes".

Also in Belgrade on Monday, department ministers of Serbia and Turkey signed five bilateral interstate agreements in Belgrade on Monday.

Serbian Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mlađan Dinkić and Turkish Minister of Labor and Social Security Omer Dincer signed the Agreement on cooperation in the area of infrastructural projects and Agreement on economic cooperation.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić and Turkish State Minister Faruk Celik signed the Agreement on technical and financial cooperation.

Serbian Minister of Labor and Social Policy Rasim Ljajić and his Turkish counterpart Omer Dincer signed two agreements in the area of social security.

Trade with Turkey to improve

Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković and Turkish President Abdullah Gul agreed that there is great potential for improving trade between the two countries.

After their meeting in Belgrade on Monday, the two said that good bilateral relations between Serbia and Turkey are important to regional cooperation and that all forms of cooperation need to be improved, according to a statement from the Serbian government.

It was stated at the meeting that Turkey has showed great interest in the realization of several very important infrastructure projects in Serbia.

Economy and Regional Development Minister Mlađan Dinkić and Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Omer Dincer signed an agreement on Monday for economic cooperation and one for cooperation in the field of infrastructure, based on long-term plans.

The agreement for cooperation in the field of transportation development and other infrastructure on the local, regional and national level, calls for the securing of favorable conditions for financing these projects.

The project for construction and restoring the road from Novi Pazar to Tutin and Novi Pazar to Sjenica/Aljinovići have been listed as priorities, as well as the construction and restoration of roadside buildings on those roads, that span a distance of 65.99 kilometers.

The money for construction the roads will be secured by Turkish Exim bank, which will finance 85 percent of the total value of the projects and secure credit of USD 30mn, and 15 percent of the value of the project will be financed from the Serbian budget.

The agreement also calls for the Turkish companies hiring Serbian workers for the jobs and to have Serbian producers supply the equipment and material needed.

54th International Book Fair opened in Belgrade

Belgrade, Oct 26, 2009 – Writer Dragan Velikic, winner of the magazine NIN’s award for the best novel of 2008, this evening opened the 54th International Book Fair in Belgrade. Visitors were welcomed by writer Tanasos Valtinostokom, on behalf of the fair’s guest of honour, Greece.
The fair will gather exhibitors from 24 countries, including Sweden, Japan, Canada, Russia, Germany. France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Israel, Brazil, Iran and countries of the region.

As of this year, the fair has a new exhibition concept, consisting of separate areas for publishers and for libraries. That is why this year in Hall 1 publishers will exhibit only their editions.

Serbia close to concluding loan agreement with China

Belgrade/Cavtat, Oct 20, 2009 – Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic said today that Serbia is very close to concluding talks with China concerning a €200 million loan.

In a statement to Reuters from an economic forum in Cavtat, Dinkic said that Serbia will obtain the loan under very favourable conditions.

He said that the loan is to be paid back over 15 years with a five year grace period and a fixed interest rate of 3%. The loan agreement will come into effect next year and the funds will be used for infrastructure projects.

Belgrade restores power to northern Kosovo

Source: B92, Beta
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, BELGRADE -- Electricity has been restored to the residents of the predominantly Serb-populated northern Kosovo today at 11:00 CET.

This came after the Kosovo electric company, KEK, cut them off at 17:00 on Monday.

In Belgrade, the Ministry of Energy has ordered Elektromreža Srbije (Electric Grid of Serbia, EMS) and Serbian power company EPS to secure electricity deliveries for the north of the province, Beta news agency reported.

The power is being delivered from central Serbia via the 110 kilowatt power line from Novi Pazar to Valač in the north, that will make sure that priority users are not left without electricity.

The north also has own power supply from the Gazivode hydro power plant, the ministry stated.

These measures, the ministry explained, will still see power cuts when consumption reaches its peak, but a humanitarian catastrophe that was looming with hospitals and schools left in the dark has been averted.

UN mission in the province, UNMIK, reportedly referred to KEK power cuts as "irresponsible behavior".

Kosovsko-Mitrovski District chief Radenko Nedeljković was quoted as saying by Beta that EPS workers will start reading the meters in households in the north today, and that residents will start with payments in a month's time.

He also noted that the issue of the power supply to the north of Kosovo has been politicized, and that KEK had given an ultimatum. Nedeljković continued to say that both that company and the temporary Kosovo Albanian authorities in Priština are trying to "integrate the north into the Kosovo institutions".

Earlier, Nedeljković stated that KEK employees tried to take over the main transformer station in the village of Valač but that "Serbs would not let them do that at any cost". He also points out that Serbs are considering counter-measures.

“We have water, but we'll see if we can counter KEK when it comes to water supply.”

Bilateral relations between Serbia, Russia on upward scale

Belgrade, Oct 20, 2009 – Serbian President Boris Tadic stated following today’s meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that bilateral relations between their countries have been on the upward scale for years, adding that there is mutual understanding in all relevant domains.
Dmitry Medvedev, left, and Boris Tadic
Photo: Fonet
At a joint press conference following the meeting with Medvedev at the Serbian Government Palace, Tadic stated that Serbia has met with a positive response from the Russian President and Prime Minister regarding Russia’s support in the time of crisis and also for the realisation of the South Stream gas pipeline project.

Tadic said that his meeting with Medvedev was of historic importance, adding that Serbia is expanding economic relations with Russia, which is vital to the development of both the Serbian and the European economy.

He voiced his gratitude to Medvedev for Russia’s principled support to Serbia in the defence of its sovereignty and territorial integrity in Kosovo-Metohija.

Tadic stressed that Serbia will never recognise Kosovo. He said that this policy will never change and that Serbia will continue to insist on the observance of international law.

We will peacefully await the decision of the International Court of Justice and after that we will be ready for talks with the representatives of Kosovo Albanians about a viable solution, but we will never recognise Kosovo, said Tadic.

He said that many areas of cooperation were identified at the meeting, such as the establishment of emergency response centres in Nis and investments in road and rail infrastructure.

He said that there is a possibility of building new harbours on the Danube and scope for making new investments in the energy sector.

Russia today is one of the most influential countries in the world and it is not possible to solve problems without the participation of all major powers, said Tadic

He said that the global economic crisis can also turn into a security challenge because of which building new economic structures is very important.

Tadic said that he is pleased that his meeting with Medvedev took place on the anniversary of Belgrade Liberation Day, when the two countries had fought together against fascism, adding that relations between Serbia and Russia were always based on mutual support and solidarity.

He said that recently an official document was discovered in Serbia which shows that cooperation and friendly contact between the Russian and Serbian nations date back to 1509, showing a spirit of cooperation five centuries old.

Medvedev said that the negotiations held today were excellent and that bilateral cooperation of Russia and Serbia is developing since there are many new projects that tie the two countries.

He stressed that Russia will continue to support Serbia on the issues of Kosovo and EU integration and reiterated that his country will continue to defend sovereignty of Serbia and will respect other decisions that Serbia makes.

Russia and Serbia have similar positions regarding international relations and the situation in Europe, Medvedev said and added that Russia is ready to talk to everyone about their initiative for a new security system in Europe.

The Russian President said that the economic development of the two countries and the energy safety of Europe depend on the success of Russia’s and Serbia’s strategic cooperation on the construction of the South Stream gas pipeline and the Banatski Dvor storage facility.

He said that he talked with Tadic about energy safety and issues related to transport and alternative energy, which will be further dealt with by Russian and Serbian companies.

Speaking about energy projects, Medvedev referred to several great projects, such as modernisation of the Serbian oil company Naftna Industrija Srbije, which can become a regional leader in the energy sector, and the construction of Banatski Dvor gas storage facility. He also referred to some projects from the field of transport.

Apart from economic cooperation, Medvedev also underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation in other spheres, such as culture. He said that next year the Days of Serbian Culture will be held in Russia, and in 2011, Days of Russian Culture will be held in Serbia.

Medvedev also expressed great satisfaction with the fact that he visited Belgrade on the day of its liberation from the Fascist occupying forces.

Regardless of who is at the head of our states, that day will always connect us. That is when we fought together for liberation and for building our independent states, the President of Russia concluded.