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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia expects UN Security Council to protect inviolability of internationally recognised borders

Belgrade/New York, 13 July 2006

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said in his address to the UN Security Council’s session that Serbia expects with full right from the UN Security Council to fully protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognised borders respecting the UN Charter.

Kostunica said that Serbia has been showing readiness to accept compromise and reach an agreement on Kosovo-Metohija with some elementary limitations, noting that Serbia resolutely rejects any attempt to snatch away 15% of its territory.

According to him, Serbia’s stand is that a durable solution can be reached only through respect of basic principles of international law, which are explicit saying that sovereignty and territorial integrity of democratic states are inviolable. Within that frame, there are a series of possibilities to avoid something which is more than a dangerous precedent - of seizing a country’s territory in order to satisfy the expansionist aspirations of Albanian ethnic minority, the Prime Minister said.

He explained that democratic Serbia cannot say yes to Kosovo-Metohija’s independence because it is committed to international law and respect of signed agreements, but also for reasons of self-respect, which is inseparable from respect for others.

Kostunica said that a just, durable and stable solution can be found only by giving the widest, essential autonomy within the framework of Serbia’s internationally recognised borders.

He stressed that Serbia is firm in its demand that survival and a dignified existence should be secured for Serbs and all other non-Albanians who are still living in Kosovo-Metohija.

In demanding that, Serbia is in fact seeking the realisation of the principles of multi-ethnicity, right to freedom of movement, religion and education, explained Kostunica.

He pointed out that the Serbian platform envisages a solution according to which Kosovo-Metohija with its majority population of ethnic-Albanians would get the highest possible degree of autonomy, guaranteed by the authority of the international community through an international agreement and international presence.

Kostunica emphasized that Serbia is seeking nothing more and no less than basic equality and the assurance that there is a willingness to treat the Serb community in the province, in word and in deed, as any other nation which is represented in the international organisation.

The Serbian parliament would without a doubt reject any imposed solution and declare it illegitimate and legally invalid, and Serbia would continue to consider Kosovo-Metohija a part of its territory, reiterated the Serbian Prime Minister. He added that such a development would certainly not contribute to peace, stability and advancement of the successfully initiated democratic process in the Balkans, but to put it accurately, would make it a source of instability for the entire region.