Serbia's outgoing President Nikolic will become the head of the newly-established National Council for Cooperation with Russia and China once his term in office expires on May 31. In his interview with Sputnik, he talked about his new job and revealed that the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi has asked for his assistance in setting up ties with Russia.
© AP PHOTO/ ANDREJ CUKIC
Serbia has recently established the National Council for Cooperation with Russia and China. The country's outgoing President Tomislav Nikolic will become the head of the newly-established body once his term in office expires on May 31.
The major task of the Council will be to maintain strategic and operative ties with Moscow and Beijing — political, economic, infrastructural, energy, trade, and cultural.
It will overview the implementation of the Agreement on Strategic Partnership between Serbia and Russia, and the Agreement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Serbia and China. And regulate the cooperation between Serbia and China within China's One Belt, One Road strategy in Serbia.
Sputnik Serbia sat down with Serbia's outgoing leader to talk about his new job.
© SPUTNIK/ ALEXEI DRUZHININ
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Serbian Counterpart Tomislav Nikolic
"I spoke with the President of China and sent a letter to the Russian President where I informed that the Serbian government is setting up the National Council which will oversee the implementation of strategic agreements with Russia and China. I also said that we are planning to set up an administrative office which will provide the technical support to the Council," President Tomislav Nikolic told Sputnik.
"China's President Xi Jinping said that he fully endorsed the idea and said that China will also set up a national authority which will cooperate with Serbia's National Council. Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Chepurin told me that President Putin was very satisfied with our decision," the Serbian outgoing leader added.
