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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia explicitly requests that UN provide full protection of inviolability of its borders

Belgrade, 4 January 2007

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica sent a letter yesterday to new UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon explicitly requesting that the UN provide full protection of the inviolability of Serbian borders and its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Vojislav Kostunica

The Serbian government's official website gives the letter in full:

Honourable Secretary-General,

On behalf of the Serbian people and government I would like to congratulate you on your appointment as the new UN Secretary-General and wish you success in performing this supreme and responsible duty you have taken upon yourself.

I am convinced that, as head of the UN, you will have the support of all member states of this international organisation in your efforts to achieve the most important of goals and that is the preservation of peace and international order which are directly dependant of the respect of the UN Charter. You may rest assured that the Republic of Serbia will contribute fully and offer all support to the realisation of this fundamental goal to which all free and democratic states in the world strive.

My country is a free and democratic European state in which all democratic values are respected, as well as human and minority rights, in which the highest European standards are valid and are being implemented. I would especially like to emphasise that Serbia whole-heartedly respects all of the UN's fundamental documents, particularly the UN Charter, that it is devoted to the principles of international law and the binding documents of the OSCE, such as the Helsinki Final Act, and that it of course adheres to Resolution 1244 of the Security Council which refers to the southern Serbian province of Kosovo-Metohija.

Honourable Secretary-General, you are acquainted with the fact that UN SC Resolution 1244 (from 1999) explicitly confirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and envisaged that the province of Kosovo-Metohija may realise its essential autonomy within Serbia. Having in mind that a year ago talks on the province's future status began under the UN SC auspices, it is my wish to use this opportunity to brief you on the Serbian government's principled stance and arguments regarding this matter.

The Serbian government stresses its absolute preparedness to provide the highest possible level of essential autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija, one that results from the European experience in the organisation of democratic states. That the solution stems from the UN Charter itself is of particular importance, as well as the fact that it is in complete accordance with it. At the same time, it does not breach, but confirms and implements the principles of international law upon which the entire contemporary international order is founded. In other words, we are prepared to talk with representatives of the ethnic Albanian minority living in Kosovo-Metohija and discuss any model of autonomy that is applied in Europe today. Serbia is determined and ready to achieve agreement on the implementation of a European model of autonomy for Kosovo through dialogue.

You may rest assured that the Serbian government is fully resolved and prepared to find a compromise and just solution for an adequate position of the province within Serbia in line with the UN Charter. On the other hand, it is clear that ethnic minorities, including ethnic Albanians in Serbia, may not sever portions of sovereign countries' territories and create new independent states. Such a project contrived by ethnic Albanian separatists overturns the basic principles of the UN Charter and annihilates the international law principles upon which the entire international order is founded. Any re-cutting of interstate borders inevitably demolishes stability and peace in the entire region.

Honourable Secretary-General, since the UN Charter guarantees inviolability of borders and inviolability of state sovereignty and territorial integrity to all internationally recognised countries, the Serbian government explicitly requests that provisions of the UN Charter be fully applied on the Republic of Serbia. Your Excellency, I am convinced it is beyond any doubt and that it is unacceptable and impossible that Serbia's borders be remodelled against its will and that another Albanian state be created on 15% of Serbian territory.

These are the reasons the Serbian government is sending a request to the UN today asking it to provide full protection of inviolability of Serbia's state borders and its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The UN Charter safeguards the integrity of internationally recognised states in the same way that a democratic state's constitution protects the integrity of each individual citizen in the state. The UN Charter's value lies primarily in the fact that it is equally and without exceptions valid for all countries in the world, and in line with this simple principle it must be valid for Serbia.

Honourable Secretary-General, the Serbian government believes that the talks on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija have so far failed to yield concrete and desired results. The fact that until now only one meeting took place between top officials from Belgrade and representatives of ethnic Albanian minority from Kosovo-Metohija speaks volumes about the necessity of employing additional effort and engaging new energy so as to achieve progress that will take us closer to the actual solution. The Serbian government finds it is necessary to organise new serious talks to determine the future degree and type of autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija within Serbia and expects them to be held in the upcoming period. The government and all Serbia's representatives are fully prepared to take their share of responsibility for finding a compromise, lasting, sustainable and just solution based on the UN Charter and international law principles.

My country, its political representatives and I personally stand at your disposal for any support you need in striving to place the resolution of the Kosovo-Metohija autonomy issue on healthy grounds and bases of negotiating process with good prospects for achieving a proper solution to the benefit and welfare of all Serbian citizens and the entire southeast European region.

Honourable Secretary-General, I once more most heartily congratulate you on your appointment and wish you great success in fulfilling this responsible duty. I would like to use this opportunity and send you my personal greetings and wishes for a successful and happy 2007, reads the Prime Minister's letter.

The Serbian Prime Minister's letter to UN Secretary-General will also be forwarded to all UN member states.