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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

UN SC Resolution 1244 must be frame for talks on province’s future status

Vienna, 5 November 2007

Serbian Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic stated today in Vienna that Belgrade would accept the troika’s proposal in 14 points if it is explicitly stated in it that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is respected and that unilateral solutions are excluded.

Slobodan Samardzic and Vuk Jeremic

Author: Fonet

In his address to the press following the meeting with the Contact Group’s troika of envoys, Samardzic said that the Serbian side insisted that the text of the proposal should explicitly state that Resolution 1244 must be the frame for talks on the province’s future status.

According to Samardzic, Belgrade was also adamant that there can be no unilateral solutions and that items referring to the province’s status must be discussed.

We do not want the negotiations to turn into talks on the relations between Belgrade and Pristina, but to focus on the status and that future relations between Belgrade and Pristina be defined within one determined status, explained the Minister.

He said that the Serbian state team reminded the Contact Group’s representatives that Belgrade does not aspire to govern Kosovo-Metohija in its interior affairs. He stressed that there are competencies which Belgrade will retain for itself, as well as that Belgrade should govern the entire state which includes Kosovo-Metohija.

He also said that the Serbian delegation elaborated on the point according to which Belgrade will not be present in the province in those provisions which Kosovo-Metohija has as its own competencies.

According to Samardzic, the Serbian state team stressed at the meeting that the troika’s document is a good starting point and that they could easily agree on the remaining points regarding technicalities or better formulation of the points.

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic said that today’s talks between Belgrade and Pristina are of key importance and that after the fourth round it will be known whether there is a possibility to find a compromise solution.

I believe this is a crucial day, said Jeremic and added that representatives of the Contact Group also think that these talks are of essential importance.

He stressed that following consultations with the troika of envoys, there is hope that the afternoon meeting with the delegation of Kosovo Albanians could be successful. He added that after the plenary session and the meeting with the Pristina delegation it will be known whether a compromise solution is attainable.

Jeremic also notified the press that the Serbian state delegation, headed by Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, stated its essential position on the 14 points of the Contact Group’s proposal.

We drew their attention to two fundamental principles and these are that Resolution 1244 must be the frame for talks on the Kosovo-Metohija future status and that there must be no unilateral steps and actions, specified Jeremic.