Hill: We Disagree with Serbia on Vulin, But Have Kept Good Relations

Christopher Hill/BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC

U.S. Ambassador in Belgrade Christopher Hill has stated that the U.S. disagreed with the authorities in Serbia regarding the imposing of sanctions against the director of the Security and Information Agency, Aleksandar Vulin, and that they had a problem with his pro-Russian stance, but that the two countries had preserved overall good relations.

In an interview to Voice of America, Hill said that the U.S. had sanctioned Vulin and not the institution, and added that this was “a fair process, where various activities have been considered” because “the people making decisions in Washington consider the evidence and decide on that basis.”

Asked if he was disappointed with the fact that Vulin was still the director of Serbia’s secret police, Hill answered that “disappointment means that expectations had not been met” and that he was a realist, whose job was to promote U.S.’ close ties with Serbia and work towards the two countries’ being on the same side.

Commenting on the claims about Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic having insisted on removing the call on sanctions to Moscow from this week’s joint declaration of leaders from the Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, Hill said that the U.S.’ position was “very clear” and that “everyone should join the sanctions on Russia, especially the countries aspiring to join the EU.”