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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Unilateral decision on Kosovo future status to destabilise region

Belgrade, 12 June 2007

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stated that any “unilateral document” on the resolution of Kosovo-Metohija’s future status would cause dramatic destabilisation of the region.

Vuk Jeremic

Author: Tanjug

In an interview to the British Reuters news agency’s television, Jeremic said Belgrade will therefore kepp insisting that whatever is done on this matter “must first be sanctioned by the UN Security Council”.

Any document contradicting the UN would be unilateral in character and practically reduced to a flagrant breach of international order esablished by documents such as the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, Jeremic pointed out.

He said that at his point it seems possible that the UN Security Council votes for a resolution supporting UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s plan, which opens the road to Kosovo-Metohija’s independence.

Asked by TV Reuters whether Moscow’s stance “halts” the independence of Kosovo-Metohija, Jeremic replied that Russia’s position in the Security Council is such that the resolution currently undergoing the Security Council procedure does not have the support of Moscow, the Council’s permanent member, which implies the possible use of the veto.

According to Jeremic, US President George Bush’s support expressed in Tirana “is nothing new”.

It is a stance which US administration took a while ago and President Bush, the top official of that administration, is only the last one in the line to say it out loud, said Jeremic.

He stressed that any form of independence for Kosovo-Metohija is unacceptable for Serbia and added that Belgrade advocates a continuation of the talks which would end with a compromise solution.

We are not alone in this stance, especially not in the Security Council, the most consequential forum where the matter is being discussed, emphasised Jeremic.

Asked whether Serbia’s reliance on Russia affects future relations between Serbia and the UE, the Minister replied it does not.

As for our EU accession process, which has resumed, it is not politically conditioned by anything except cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, which has also resumed. Therefore, our road to Europe is not and cannot be conditioned by our position on the Kosovo-Metohija issue. Serbia cannot give up on its sovereignty over the province, just as it cannot give up on its European future and we will insist on both issues with equal zeal, said Jeremic.

He stressed that any unilateral document declaring Kosovo-Metohija’s independence would be “void” for Serbia.

Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia; this is our position and it will not be subjected to any kind of questioning or altering. Any document acknowledging and any document unilaterally declaring Kosovo-Metohija’s independence will be completely null and void for Belgrade, concluded Jeremic.