BELGRADE (AP)--The man expected to win Russia's upcoming presidential election visited Serbia on Monday to sign a multibillion-dollar pipeline agreement -a trip that underscored Moscow's close ties with Belgrade.
Dmitry Medvedev, a deputy prime minister who is the chairman of the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, is set to sign the deal clearing the way for construction of the South Stream pipeline through Serbia to western Europe, a government minister said.
The deal emphasizes Serbia's increasingly close ties with Russia. Though Medvedev's visit will focus on economic issues, his talks with President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica will also deal with the tensions caused by Kosovo's decision to declare independence from Serbia.
Moscow has emerged as Belgrade's primary ally in the Kosovo crisis.
The U.S. and some European Union nations quickly recognized Kosovo's declaration of independence last week but Moscow declared the move illegal and warned that it will block efforts to get the new nation to join the U.N. or other international organizations.
Medvedev is being accompanied by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The one-day visit his first foreign policy initiative.
The deal for the 400-kilometer-long pipeline could be worth as much as $1.5 billion.
A planned storage facility is not part of the deal that nonetheless could make Serbia an important distributor of Russian gas.
"This agreement is only about the pipeline," said Energy Minister Aleksandar Popovic. "Serbia Gas is signing with Gazprom."
Meanwhile, the pro-Western Liberal Democratic Party planned to protest in front of the Russian Embassy over recent comments on Moscow state television criticizing Serbia's slain reformist Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.
Liberal Party leaders said they would try to deliver a letter to Medvedev demanding that he denounce the anti-Djindjic comments.