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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia advocates high degree of autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija within Serbia

Belgrade, 21 February 2007

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica after meeting with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov expressed concern because of incredible animosity that UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari is showing to the very idea of a compromise in finding a solution to the Kosovo-Metohija status issue.

In a joint press conference, Kostunica said that he is concerned over the fact that Martti Ahtisaari on several occasions expressed a scornful attitude to the very possibility of reaching a compromise.

He stated that he was assured that Ahtisaari thinks that a compromise is not possible and that only an imposed solution for Kosovo is an option.

The Prime Minister pointed out that a sustainable solution for the future status of the province must be found through negotiations that lead to a compromise and added that a compromise can be easily reached if we stay true to principles of international law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council’s Resolution 1244.

At the same time, Kostunica said that the Serbian negotiating team is well prepared to respond with arguments and in detail to Ahtisaari’s proposal on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija and recalled that both the UN Charter and UN Security Council’s Resolution 1244 guarantee territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

He reiterated that Serbia advocates a high degree of autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija within Serbia as well as respect of the UN Charter and UN Security Council’s Resolution 1244.

Kostunica also pointed to failure to meet standards in the province as far as respect of human rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians are concerned. He also mentioned the drastic cases of violence and terrorist acts.

Georgi Parvanov, left, and Vojislav Kostunica

The Prime Minister also discussed with the Bulgarian President the construction of the Sofia-Nis highway and the opening of new border crossings.

He also said that Serbia values Bulgaria’s stand on Kosovo in previous years and expressed satisfaction with good relations between the two countries.

Parvanov said that Ahtisaari’s proposal is good basis for negotiations and that Belgrade and Pristina should show a constructive attitude to the Vienna talks.

Parvanov, who is on his first visit to Serbia upon taking office as Bulgarian president last year, also pointed out that Bulgaria, being an EU member, will support continuation of Serbia’s negotiation process on Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) as well as Serbia’s fulfilment of EU’s requirements.

According to him, Bulgaria wants to back Serbia in its European integration. Parvanov said that the Bulgarian side wants to develop good neighbourly relations, which is also proven by his visit today.

The Bulgarian President stressed that Bulgarian businesspeople are interested in investing in Serbia and specified the energy sector as one field of potential cooperation.