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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Talks and compromise only way leading to solution for Kosovo

Belgrade, 26 July 2006

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica stressed today during the talks with Italian Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Famiano Crucianelli that talks and compromise are the only possible way that can lead to a solution for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija.

Kostunica said that according to European standards, issues concerning national minorities are always solved by granting different levels of autonomy, and not by breaking up states. It should be born in mind that Serbia proposes even more than that, substantial autonomy for the province.

The Serbian Prime Minister pointed out that special care should be taken to preserve stability in the region and warned that an imposed solution would represent a dangerous precedent which would have consequences not only in the region, but outside it as well.

He underlined that for more than half a century not a single case of international borders being broken and changed has been recorded in Europe.

Crucianelli said that preservation of stability in the Balkans is of crucial importance for Italy and that the solution for Kosovo-Metohija must not be imposed, but it must be found through agreement of both sides. He also said that it is not good to put a time limit on negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina and to bring hasty solutions.

Kostunica said that the Serbian government highly praises the attitudes which Crucianelli presented concerning Kosovo-Metohija on behalf of the Italian government.

The two officials underlined that Serbia and Italy have traditionally good and friendly relations and highlighted the importance of today's initialing of the Agreement on visa relaxations. They concluded that Serbia and Italy have a very good economic, cultural and scientific cooperation and voiced readiness for improvement and strengthening of the two countries’ economic ties.