Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC/MO)
Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko has said that pressures on Serbia are “incredible,” pointing out that these “brutal pressures, in fact arm-twisting and attempts to stifle the country and its will, [represent] complete disregard for its interests.”
“We understand this incredible pressure of the West on Belgrade and the difficult position Serbia is in quite well. And, of course, we highly appreciate the principled course it maintains in not recognizing and not accepting anti-Russian sanctions,” Kharchenko told the Politika daily on May 9.
He also said that “there is and there cannot be any change in Russia’s position regarding the Kosovo question.” “We do not recognize Kosovo and are supporting Belgrade in international forums, primarily in the U.N. Security Council, most actively. All allegations that Russia has changed its stance are falsities concocted to ruin relations between Moscow and Belgrade and sway Serbia to accept anti-Russian measures,” Kharchenko added.
Speaking about energy matters, the Russian ambassador said that Moscow is expecting the beginning of negotiations on the natural gas with Serbia, expressing his belief that they will be led in the most acceptable way, given the actual situation in the market and the fact that Serbia is a friendly country.
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