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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Solution for Kosovo in the form of substantial autonomy within existing borders of Serbia-Montenegro

Belgrade, 28 October 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today during a meeting with a delegation of the Macedonian parliament, led by parliament Speaker Ljupco Jordanovski, that the solution for Kosovo-Metohija should be sought with full respect for the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state union of Serbia-Montenegro, as an internationally recognised state.

Kostunica said that the solution must be looked for in the form of substantial autonomy for the province, within the existing borders of the state union, through dialogue and compromise, without imposed solutions. Any solution imposed would be a precedent and violation over international law and could have incalculable consequences for the stability of the region and all of Europe, he said.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that the solution must be found through patient dialogue and compromise, in which no side will get all. “We are willing to find a compromise solution by giving substantial autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija, as an integral part of our country”, Kostunica added.

The Speaker of the Macedonian parliament advocated the respect of the international principle of inviolability of borders and preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. There can be no new precedents concerning this issue, Jordanovski said and warned that any change of borders would jeopardise the stability of the region.

Jordanovski said that the Macedonian minority has a good status in Serbia and added that the Serbian government pays much attention to the status of national minorities.

The participants in the talks agreed that relations between Serbia-Montenegro and Macedonia are good and that they can be improved.

Kostunica voiced concern over the continued imprisonment of Bishop Jovan. The right to freedom of religious confession is a fundamental human right fully respected in all democratic civilised countries, Kostunica said and added that the imprisonment of Bishop Jovan is incomprehensible and a unique case in which a high church official has been sentenced to imprisonment for professing his religion.

Members of all religious communities have the right to freedom of religious confession and that is a generally accepted principle in all modern states, Kostunica said. The participants in the talks jointly concluded that all religious disputes should be solved exclusively through dialogues between churches.