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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Kosovo independence would disturb peace in Western Balkan region

29 April 2006

Belgrade/Brussels, April 29, 2006- Serbia-Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic warned today that the independence of Kosovo-Metohija would drastically endanger peace, development and democracy not only in Serbia-Montenegro, but also in the entire Western Balkan region and wider.

Vuk Draskovic

Author: Tanjug

In a speech at the first Brussels Forum, dedicated to EU-USA cooperation on solving international issues, Draskovic said that his contribution to the Forum is in fact a warning that plans to declare Kosovo independence are more than harmful. He stressed that it would mean a breach of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.

According to these acts, the sovereignty and internationally acknowledged borders of Serbia and Montenegro cannot be altered against their will, he pointed out.

However, he said that there are theses saying that though Kosovo borders cannot be changed, since Kosovo is not a state, this can be done with the borders of the country inside which the province is situated. According to Draskovic, this represents not only violence over justice, but also over the logic of thought.

He warned of the "turbulence" in the world that might spring from Kosovo independence. "This event would inevitably gain even wider European and international proportions. Let us not forget that all secessionist movements and regions are waiting to see how the Gordian knot in Kosovo will be resolved: by the right of force or the force of right", stressed Draskovic. He voiced hope that "the force of right" and compromise will eventually be accepted as the only sustainable solution.

According to his assessments, this would imply that "all legitimate rights of the ethnic-Albanian majority and Serbs and other non-ethnic Albanians in Kosovo will be fulfilled and the UN Charter respected".

Serbia's demands for the protection of churches and monasteries in Kosovo and inviolability of state borders have been labelled "illegitimate, non-European and non-democratic", said Draskovic and added that he would like to know to which aspect of Serbia's demands this refers. We cannot offer anything less than this and above everything else we are advocating a compromise, concluded Draskovic.