Q:
A:
No changes in Serbia's state policy on Kosovo-Metohija
Belgrade,
21 July 2008
Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic said that the announced return of Serbian ambassadors to the EU countries that recognised Kosovo's independence does not mean that the state has changed its policy towards Kosovo-Metohija.
In a statement to Radio Television of Serbia, Jeremic said that Serbia will continue to fight to safeguard its territorial integrity with all its legal, diplomatic and political means.
We were very careful in weighing up this measure, so there will be no normalisation of relations with other, non-EU countries which violated Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity by recognising the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, the minister said.
He explained that the Foreign Ministry, after consultations with representatives of the EU and Russia, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Serbian President Boris Tadic, decided to propose to the government a partial revision of the Action plan, which will entail the return of ambassadors to EU countries and normalisation of relations.
This proposal was made in order to enhance Serbia's diplomatic resources and efforts so that it can obtain EU candidate status by the end of the year.
The reason why we decided to return ambassadors only to EU member states, but not to all countries they were withdrawn from, is that we don't want to send a signal to the world that we are giving up the fight for Kosovo, Jeremic said.
The minister explained that the balance between Serbia's two main priorities – accelerated road to the EU and diplomatic struggle for preserving the country's territorial integrity - was precisely what made the Ministry propose the return of ambassadors to EU member states.
Jeremic reiterated that he will send a formal invitation to UNMIK Chief Lambert Zannier to start negotiations on reconfiguration of the international civilian presence in the province and that he is due to come to Belgrade on July 23.
The subject of the talks will be the future of the international civilian presence in Kosovo-Metohija, the minister said.
We were very careful in weighing up this measure, so there will be no normalisation of relations with other, non-EU countries which violated Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity by recognising the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, the minister said.
He explained that the Foreign Ministry, after consultations with representatives of the EU and Russia, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Serbian President Boris Tadic, decided to propose to the government a partial revision of the Action plan, which will entail the return of ambassadors to EU countries and normalisation of relations.
This proposal was made in order to enhance Serbia's diplomatic resources and efforts so that it can obtain EU candidate status by the end of the year.
The reason why we decided to return ambassadors only to EU member states, but not to all countries they were withdrawn from, is that we don't want to send a signal to the world that we are giving up the fight for Kosovo, Jeremic said.
The minister explained that the balance between Serbia's two main priorities – accelerated road to the EU and diplomatic struggle for preserving the country's territorial integrity - was precisely what made the Ministry propose the return of ambassadors to EU member states.
Jeremic reiterated that he will send a formal invitation to UNMIK Chief Lambert Zannier to start negotiations on reconfiguration of the international civilian presence in the province and that he is due to come to Belgrade on July 23.
The subject of the talks will be the future of the international civilian presence in Kosovo-Metohija, the minister said.
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