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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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France supports process leading to compromise solution for Kosovo

Belgrade, 20 October 2007

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic said in an interview to today's issue of daily "Vecernje Novosti" that the message of the talks he had with French officials in Paris is that France supports the process of resolution of the future status of Kosovo-Metohija that could lead to a compromise solution.

File photo of Vuk Jeremic

Author: Tanjug

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

What is France's view of the resolution of Kosovo status?

- I have the impression that France is one of the countries that start to see this process as something that might have serious consequences to European stability and safety. And that Europe, therefore France as well, might face consequences of some errors made because of an artificial and forced expeditiousness. We tried to present the full complexity of this problem. A possible "cutting" without a compromise, which does not guarantee stability, might affect the realisation of the strategic goal, which France definitely supports, and that is inclusion of the Western Balkans into the European Union.

On Paris talks:

- The important message of these talks is that France supports the process for which we hope that it might lead to a compromise solution. As opposed to some other partners in the Contact Group, they understood that setting a deadline, after which something that is not a compromise might take place, kills every chance of finding a solution. In relation to the position from July, when only Ahtisaari's plan was on offer, I think that the official Paris views the situation in a way that gives space for finding a compromise solution. That is a quality step forward. I do not want to sound triumphant, too optimistic, but I think that with patient principled argumentation and approach, we achieved that a great number of our European collocutors, now including France, views this problem in its full complexity. I think we have managed to make them see the danger from unilateral actions.

Was Ahtisaari's plan discussed during the talks?

- No, Ahtisaari was not a subject of our talks. We should continue working, be patient, dedicated to principles of Europe and the United Nations, and try to reach a solution by December 10 that will guarantee peace and stability. If not by then, then after that date, but surely, in the shortest time possible.