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Russia to Help Yugoslavia in Gas Supply and Restoration
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov reassured Russia's help to Yugoslavia in gas supply and infrastructure restoration during his Wednesday talks with visiting Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovich.
According to Kasyanov, Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom has resumed daily delivery of four million cubic meters of gas to Yugoslavia, which will help that country survive this winter.
Russia meanwhile granted 180 million U.S. dollars in loans to Yugoslavia for payment of the supply. Part of the credit may be repaid through the participation of Russian organizations in the privatization of Yugoslav industrial enterprises, primarily power- generating facilities that consume Russian raw materials, said Kasyanov.
Russian companies will take part in the reconstruction of Yugoslav industrial enterprises destroyed during NATO's air campaign in the spring of 1999, and the government will help rebuild the demolished infrastructure.
"We are prepared to assist in rebuilding the devastated facilities, which are needed for a normal life of the Yugoslav people," he said.
"We in Russia closely watch the measures by the Yugoslav leadership to stabilize the political, social and economic situation in the country."
"From the very beginning we made and will make all efforts that can facilitate this important work", the premier said.
Kasyanov assured Svilanovich that Russia would implement all agreements reached during Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica's visit to Moscow last October.
"Russian gas supplies to Yugoslavia have been resumed and the volume of these supplies have been agreed" under these agreements, he said.
"Russian gas supplies are an important element of not only economic but also of humanitarian support for the Yugoslav people", he added.
Svilanovich arrived here Wednesday for a working visit, also his first trip to Russia.
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