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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Serbia's argumentation on respect of international law more and more accepted

Belgrade, 31 December 2006

In an interview to New Year edition of Vecernje Novosti daily, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica speaks about continuation of negotiations on future status of Kosovo-Metohija, influence of the elections on them and about possible danger of treating Kosovo-Metohija as an "exception" from the rules for resolving other similar problems in the world.

The Serbian government's official website brings excerpts from the interview:

Will the elections influence negotiations on future status of Kosovo-Metohija in any way:

- We reached a high level of agreement on that issue even before scheduling the elections. I believe that we will remain unanimous and manage to keep what we have achieved. And we achieved a lot. Remember what our position in the international community was a year ago concerning Kosovo. Serbia's argumentation that international law has to be respected, that a European solution should be sought when it comes to minority rights and that Kosovo cannot be an exception, is more and more taken into account. Rules are set to be respected, not violated. No one who argues that the solution for Kosovo should be an exception can explain their position. That is why they stick to one and single argument and that is that Serbia had an undemocratic regime until 2000. That simply is not an argument at all. Many countries had undemocratic regimes and no one took them part of their territory because of that. On the contrary, they are respectable members of the European Union today.

On how much the solution for future status is Kosovo is closer to independence:

- We are not closer to independence, bur rather more and more far away from it. We are much more far away from independence than we were a year ago. Therefore, I do not think about independence and I do not want to think about it.

On the possibility that UN Special Envoy for Kosovo-Metohija Martti Ahtisaari delivers the final proposal for Kosovo's status to Belgrade and Pristina after the principle "take it or leave it":

- There are two institutions that have to declare themselves on any proposal Ahtisaari makes. First of all, the proposal cannot be delivered to Belgrade and Pristina before it is revised by the Contact Group. And then it has to be examined by the UN Security Council. And in order to make a final decision, the Contact Group needs the approval of all of its members.

On the attempt to avoid these institutions:

- I do not see who could do that. And the one who would try that would be in a serious problem, he would challenge many things. I am firmly convinced that such a thing is not possible, which can be seen from the fact that things are being postponed. Those who were in favour of independence are more quiet now, and those who were saying that the status would have been resolved by the end of this year extended deadlines for the next year. It is obvious that deadlines cannot be set for such complex issues. I think that the positions of those who are against independence are even stronger now, first of all of Russia.

On the possibility that Moscow behaves in a reserved manner if the issue of Kosovo's independence is brought before the Security Council:

- I am sure that will not happen. The issue is so clear and principled that such a big country as Russia, that has taken one position will not give up.

On the possibility of treating Kosovo as an "exception" from the rules for resolving other similar problems in the world:

- The clearest and strongest answer was given by Russia and President Putin. Therefore, there are no exceptions. If you want to make an exception then there will not be only one. There will be a list of the first ten, and then twenty similar "exceptions" in the world. You will have a completely redrawn picture of the world, and especially Europe. If in one case you try to make an exception and violate a country's territorial integrity and sovereignty, then you will no longer have order, but disorder.

Continuation of negotiations on stabilisation and association:

- For me it is encouraging, and in a way a moral satisfaction, that there are more and more countries in Europe that believe that Serbia should have not been conditioned in such a way, that it would have been far more productive if negotiations had been continued in the direction of fullfiling the obligations, instead of being cut off. There are more and more countries that conclude that Serbia has been treated in an unfair way. After all, Serbia needs a little more justice.