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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia continues fight against Kosovo’s admission to UNESCO

Belgrade, 12 September 2015

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said that Albania submitted a formal request to the Executive Council of UNESCO to put on the agenda of its session in October the application of Kosovo for membership in that organisation.

Dacic told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) that, apart from Albania, the request has been supported by another 44 member states of UNESCO out of 195 countries, adding that this does not necessarily mean that the request will be put on the agenda.

He stated that a heavy battle against Kosovo's admission to UNESCO will be fought, noting that in the Executive Council, out of 58 members, 18 joined the request, and with Albania that number is 19.

Serbia is ready for the fight. I think that all the reasons to be against adopting such a decision are absolutely on our side, Dacic said.

He pointed out that even formally and legally Kosovo does not have the right to be a member of UNESCO, since the United Nations (UN) have not made such a proposal, but have refused to support that request from Kosovo.

Essentially, Kosovo does not meet all the requirements to be able to become a member of UNESCO because the buildings that are under world heritage protection, the protection of UNESCO in Kosovo, have been declared facilities that are endangered, and endangered precisely from those who want to become members of UNESCO, the First Deputy Prime Minister underlined.

Dacic, who is also OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, strongly condemned the latest wave of terrorist attacks that have killed dozens of members of the Turkish security forces and expressed his condolences to families of victims.

We hope that tensions will soon subside. Everyone should take part in the fight against terrorism. No country can cope with it alone, and the OSCE will continue to strengthen cooperation in all fields, he said.