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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia’s foreign policy regarding Kosovo-Metohija continues

Belgrade, 15 March 2008

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said today that Serbia is to continue with its active foreign policy regarding Kosovo-Metohija which has been successful until now, considering the fact that not as many countries have recognised the illegal declaration of independence by Pristina as some expected.

Author: AFP

In an interview for today’s edition of the daily Blic, Jeremic said that the government is now working only in a technical capacity and this has added to the difficulties facing Serbia in its efforts concerning Kosovo-Metohija and European integration.

There is political will in Europe for Serbia’s integration, but it is of crucial importance that Serbian citizens make a choice, he said and added that he expects the elections on May 11 to result in a strong democratic affirmation of the process of European integration and that all remaining obstacles on that path, of which the most important one is cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, will be removed.

The Serbian government’s official website gives excerpts from the interview.

Basic tactics regarding Kosovo-Metohija:

It is extremely important that the international community continues to show a high level of interest on the issue of Kosovo-Metohija. We will continue to ask for discussions in the Security Council and all other international forums. As long as we have the opportunity to present our arguments at the highest level, chances of success will be there. Our idea is that the strategy of obtaining mass bilateral recognition of Kosovo will not succeed. This means that the number of countries recognising Kosovo should stay at a minimum so that Kosovo fails to become a member of key international organisations. This will clearly show that the strategy of imposing solutions has not succeeded; that we have ended up in a cul de sac and the only way out is to accept the viewpoint that without dialogue and compromise any future status of Kosovo cannot be valid in the terms of international law.

There were attempts to make it impossible for you to speak at the recently held Security Council session. How much of an obstacle is a government which is working only in a technical capacity in diplomatic activities?

Yes, a few members of the Security Council attempted to use the situation and raised the objection that the present Serbian government does not have full authority since it is working only in a technical capacity. This objection was not accepted by the majority, since after all we have the case of Belgium which for ten months had a government that was functioning in the same way. To be completely honest, the fact that this government is working in a technical capacity only has added to our difficulties. It has made our work harder, but we are determined. Now it is necessary to engage in additional consultations with some countries in order to assert that the policy on Kosovo will not change regardless of the outcome of the elections.

On signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU:

There is political will in Europe. But, it is of crucial importance that Serbia makes a choice. The Serbian people must say if they wish to continue the process of European integration or not, and this will be one of the most important issues at the elections. So, the ball is in our court. Whether the agreement is signed now or after the elections, whether it is signed in April or May or June does not depend on the EU but on Serbia. It is necessary that the parliamentary elections result in the sending the same message to the world as the presidential elections. Then we will have four years of absolutely unhindered work.

Will recognising Kosovo be a condition for getting candidate status?

Kosovo-Metohija is an integral part of Serbia and when it comes to the present government this is more than clear. I am convinced that the future government will maintain this stance. We will make all efforts through diplomatic means for recognition not to be a condition. After all, not all EU countries have recognised the illegal declaration of independence by Pristina. We have firm reason to believe that the situation will not change. It is unrealistic to expect that recognition will be a condition since many EU members themselves have not recognised Kosovo. Serbia will never recognise Kosovo’s independence, and we do not expect that this will be a condition.

Possibility that by September more than half of UN member states recognise Kosovo:

A battle is being fought right now in the diplomatic arena and this battle is very complicated and tough. It requires not only an agile but a wise approach towards many regional groups which are members of many organisations, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union and the Arab League. Our idea is to launch an initiative in the UN that the General Assembly asks the International Court of Justice for its opinion on whether the unilateral declaration of independence by Pristina is in accordance with international law. We have several reasons to believe that the international court will have the same stance that we do, that the declaration was not in accordance with international law. We expect that despite enormous pressure by certain countries, when it comes down to counting in the UN in September, it will be clear that the majority of UN member states have refrained from recognition.

What does the reinstatement of recalled ambassadors in September depend on?

Each country which recognised Kosovo as an independent state jeopardised our sovereignty and territorial integrity by doing so and we reacted with appropriate diplomatic measures. Our diplomatic goal is to prove that unilateral moves do not lead to successful solutions. When it becomes obvious in September in the UN that the majority of countries do not recognise the unilateral declaration made by Pristina, and that the number of countries which do so are in the minority, then we will be able to conclude that one phase of our activities has ended successfully. Then we will be in the position to debate whether the next step is to use other kinds of tactics; a more agile and active approach even towards countries that have recognised Kosovo. That would mean sending the ambassadors back and a new round of actions concerning those countries. All decisions remain in force as long as the government does not change them. This government will not change its action plan. The new government will have absolute freedom to change the present course of action or to continue with it. Those who will form the future government will also form its policies.