"Putin said so": Russian ambassador to Serbia talks about possibility of nationalization of NIS

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The possibility of nationalization of Petroleum Industry of Serbia, NIS - a company that is under US sanctions - would be contrary to an intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Serbia on energy cooperation, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan Kharchenko has told RIA Novosti.

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"The Russian president stated this during the direct line (annual news conference), answering a question on that topic. He said that there is an agreement from 2008 on cooperation between Russia and Serbia in the oil and gas sector, and that we must adhere to that agreement. And that is important," Botsan Kharchenko said.

He added that it s hardly possible to carry out nationalization immediately, on impulse.

Botsan Kharchenko also said that the decision about NIS must be in accordance with the spirit of relations between Moscow and Belgrade and generally, in line with the said agreement.

When it comes to military-technical cooperation between Russia and Serbia, the ambassador said that this continues.

"We continue that. It is ongoing and developing," Botsan Kharchenko concluded.

(Telegraf Biznis/Tanjug)