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Russia promises to help Yugoslavia rejoin world community

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October 10, 2000 

MOSCOW (AP) - President Vladimir Putin promised Yugoslavia's new president, Vojislav Kostunica, that Moscow would do everything possible to help the Balkan nation return to the world community "as a member with full rights," the Kremlin said Monday.

He said Russia would offer Belgrade "all possible cooperation in standing up for (Yugoslavia's) national worthiness, sovereignty and territorial integrity," according to a statement released by the Kremlin press service.

Russia will "consistently and persistently fight for Yugoslavia's return to the international fold in the capacity of a member with full rights, and the unconditional and urgent cancellation of all external sanctions," Putin said.

The European Union was already preparing on Monday to lift economic sanctions against Yugoslavia and grant 2.3 billion euros (dlrs 2 billion) to help rebuild the country.

Putin wished Kostunica success, and invited him to visit Moscow.

Russia had hesitated for two weeks to take sides in the conflict between Kostunica and his predecessor Slobodan Milosevic over whether Kostunica had won the Sept. 24 presidential elections in the first round. Finally, it swung its support behind Kostunica on Friday and joined the West in congratulating him as the electoral victor.