Djedovic Handanovic: We believe Russian side is conducting NIS talks in good will

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Friday she believed the Russian majority owners of the Serbian oil firm NIS - which is under US sanctions - were conducting "in good will" the talks on selling their stake in the company, and added that the Serbian government appreciated that NIS had paid out the December salaries to its employees earlier in the day.

"We believe the Russian majority owners of NIS are conducting in good will the talks with interested parties about a sale in order to solve the problem of sanctions, so that we do not have to make certain decisions, or so that the company, or its operations, are not cast into doubt and in order that the conditions are created for obtaining a licence from the US government, so that NIS can continue to operate in our market," Djedovic Handanovic said after a meeting with representatives of small privately-owned petrol station chains.