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A:
Serbia in need of EU support for implementing plan for Kosovo
Belgrade,
20 September 2007
Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic said today in a statement for Reuters that Serbia needs support from the EU to implement the plan of providing substantial autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija, if Kosovo Albanians agree to it, and added that it would be a “wise investment”.
We are trying to be as realistic as possible. They are demanding independence, which, as far as Serbia is concerned, they cannot get. We have to find something midway, said Samardzic.
He said that following the clashes in 1998 and 1999, the NATO military action and eight years of UN administration it is not very likely that the Kosovo Albanians could become “loyal citizens of Serbia”.
The Minister recalled that it is a European tradition to resolve such issues through compromise, which could be of various types, such as in South Tyrol or the Basque Country.
Samardzic reiterated that Serbia is offering a higher level of autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija than seen any where in Europe, perhaps even the world, and added that Serbia wants a solution based on compromise which could satisfy the legitimate interests of both sides.
If one side imposes a solution on the other, we are only postponing a conflict, which will last for decades, warned Samardzic and added that Belgrade is offering a solution based on reconciliation.
He said that the task of ensuring the implementation of such a plan would be above all the obligation of the international community, regarding civil and military missions, which would secure peace in the province for a certain period of time.
He said that following the clashes in 1998 and 1999, the NATO military action and eight years of UN administration it is not very likely that the Kosovo Albanians could become “loyal citizens of Serbia”.
The Minister recalled that it is a European tradition to resolve such issues through compromise, which could be of various types, such as in South Tyrol or the Basque Country.
Samardzic reiterated that Serbia is offering a higher level of autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija than seen any where in Europe, perhaps even the world, and added that Serbia wants a solution based on compromise which could satisfy the legitimate interests of both sides.
If one side imposes a solution on the other, we are only postponing a conflict, which will last for decades, warned Samardzic and added that Belgrade is offering a solution based on reconciliation.
He said that the task of ensuring the implementation of such a plan would be above all the obligation of the international community, regarding civil and military missions, which would secure peace in the province for a certain period of time.
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