STA, February 21, 2018 – Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec said after meeting Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday that Slovenia supported dialogue of the EU and NATO with Russia. Lavrov said this position showed that membership in the EU and NATO did not mean that contact with countries which were not members of these alliances should be avoided.

Like Slovenia, Russia is ready to cooperate with any country if cooperation is based on equality, openness and respect of mutual interests, Lavrov told the press after the meeting, adding that it was wrong to ask a country which side it was on.

Erjavec added that "Slovenia is obliged to lead a balanced policy, which is neither pro-American nor pro-Russian, but in accordance with its interests" and that the country must respect its obligations to international organisations while doing so.

Lavrov said that Slovenia cooperated with countries where it saw biggest benefits economy-wise and otherwise, and advocated a multi-vector approach in which relations are developed in multiple directions.

Erjavec and Lavrov assessed that the cooperation between Russia and Slovenia is well developed and at a high level, with the Slovenian minister noting that the countries cooperated in politics, business, culture and science.

As part of Lavrov official visit, Slovenia and Russia signed a memorandum on the establishment of an International Research Centre for the Second World War in the city of Maribor.

On February 21, #Lavrov & Slovenia FM Karl Erjavec signed a Memorandum between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on supporting the activities of the #WW2 International Research Centre in #Maribor https://t.co/42JEZruIAO pic.twitter.com/ioSVbqXsEG — MFA Russia ?? (@mfa_russia) February 22, 2018

Erjavec noted that trade between the countries last year grew by 15% and expressed hope that it would soon again reach one billion euro. He believes that two billion euro is reachable as the inter-governmental commission has agreed on 35 projects.

Erjavec acquainted Lavrov about the developments regarding the implementation of the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration decision and the pair also discussed the situation in the Western Balkans.

Erjavec said that everybody was concerned about the future and stability in the region, which was a guarantor of stability in Europe. He added that he and Lavrov had established that the region was facing radicalisation, return of foreign fighters and brain drain.

"We agreed that many investments, especially in infrastructure, are necessary," Erjavec said.

Lavrov was critical of Western countries which make cooperation with the Western Balkans and former Soviet republics conditional on severing ties with Russia. This approach is the reason why Ukraine is in a crisis, he added.

The Russian minister reiterated that there was no alternative to the Minsk agreements when it came to solving the crisis in Ukraine. He hopes that Germany and France understand that the latest acts by the Ukrainian authorities were a departure from the agreements.

Regarding Syria, which was also a topic of the meeting, Lavrov said that it was necessary to respect the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. "This criterion is universal."

The minister also discussed the Middle East peace process, with Erjavec informing Lavrov that Slovenia was gearing up to recognise Palestine. Lavrov called for direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians without pre-conditions.