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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia will continue to oppose violent division of state

Belgrade/New York, 25 July 2008

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stated today in New York at a UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo-Metohija that Serbia cannot accept the violent division of its own state and that it will continue to oppose it.

(photo archive)

Author: Tanjug

Jeremic said that Serbia is a proud European democracy, whose well-known position on the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija remains unchanged.

He stressed that this act seriously brings into question the explicit meaning of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, under which all member states are obliged to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia.

Disrespecting the principle of sovereignty anywhere in the world is a dangerous game, full of precedents and political consequences. As a result of that, international law and strategic priorities are in danger of being sacrificed on the altar of political hastiness, the Foreign Minister said.

Jeremic warned that reconfiguration of the civilian presence in the province must not in any way tamper with Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Reconfiguration of the civilian presence in Kosovo must have our consent as well as approval by the Security Council, he said noting that it is the only way to make it sustainable.

He said that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s quarterly report practically gives UNMIK Chief Lamberto Zannier approval to reconfigure UNMIK, which is a gross violation of Resolution 1244, especially given that the report does not condemn the illegal adoption of the Kosovo constitution.

However, Jeremic said that his meeting with the UN Secretary-General last week led to an understanding which could pave the way to a compromise that will require Security Council approval.

Serbia’s say in reconfiguration and many other matters cannot be ignored any more, he said and added that reconfiguration, following explicit approval by the Security Council, will have to take into account the specific and numerous problems faced by Serbs in Kosovo.

He gave three examples in this context – following the unilateral declaration of independence fewer internally displaced persons returned to Kosovo, cultural cleansing was continued, and the question of returning illegally seized property is not being dealt with at all.