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ICJ should judge legality of Kosovo independence

Belgrade, 25 April 2008

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stated today that if Serbia sued some of the EU countries that recognised an independent Kosovo to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the political conditioning for Serbia’s European integration would then be connected to Kosovo.

Author: AFP

In an interview with today’s edition of the Vecernje Novosti daily, Jeremic pointed out that we have to be careful about the way we will use this institution of international law.

Concrete consequences of such charges:

Every sued country of the EU would most certainly our integration process as long as the charges are not withdrawn. That would directly stop our European integration. Therefore we should use the court by asking from it to state its opinion whether recognising Kosovo independence is legal.

What would be the exact question we will suggest to the UN General Assembly to send to the ICJ:

We must be very careful about that. The question should be on the lines, ‘Kosovo interim institutions proclaimed independence on February 17, bearing in mind the Constitution of Serbia, Resolution 1244; is that in line with international law?’ I cannot imagine any other answer by the ICJ but no.

Do you believe that there would be new negotiations with Kosovo Albanians after the court states its position?

First of all, the number of countries recognising Kosovo would not increase. Kosovo would never become member of the UN or international institutions, and there would be no international confirmation of independence.

Would new negotiations be under the UN umbrella?

Status remained unsolved. We believe that the UN is the only organisation with legitimacy to be the mediator in such talks.

Your comment on EU’s message that Serbia should establish good-neighbourly relations with Kosovo?

Serbia will build good-neighbourly relations with all and Kosovo will never be our neighbour.

What conclusions do you expect that EU foreign ministers will make on April 29?

I expect firm confirmation of absolute political readiness for Serbia’s integration in the EU and resolve to offer Serbia membership. It will be on Serbia to make its stand on May 11.

Will we be get the offer to sign the SAA from Luxemburg? Possibly, but even if it doesn’t happen on that day, but in upcoming months, that will have no political weight. The political decision has been made within the EU, and it remains on Serbia to form a government that will make institutional steps during the next four years.

Despite the small number of countries recognising Kosovo, do you consider the fact that most EU countries have recognised Kosovo a failure? Our success is that we set things so that not even within the EU there was no consensus on the Kosovo recognition.