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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Countries of region responsible for preservation of stability in Western Balkans

Belgrade, 30 September 2008

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic said today that, on the eve of voting on Belgrade’s initiative in the UN General Assembly, Serbia expects that neighbouring countries will not make moves that can disturb peace and stability in the region.

In an interview to the Beta news agency, Jeremic pointed out that countries in the region have particular responsibility concerning the preservation of peace and stability in the Western Balkans, and added that any recognition of Kosovo-Metohija’s independence is a violation of Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also said that there is not a single country to which Belgrade would not act accordingly.

Speaking about Belgrade’s concrete actions, the Minister explained that Serbia will act in accordance with the action plan which envisages a series of measures.

Serbia does not threaten anybody but simply wants to cooperate with neighbouring countries regarding the preservation of peace and stability in the region. We will not tolerate any unilateral acts violating Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Jeremic.

He stressed that regional cooperation is one of Serbia’s main foreign policy priorities, and added that it is Serbia’s merit that the situation in the region has not been impaired in spite of the fact that some countries recognised Kosovo’s unilateral independence.

We will continue to do everything to improve relations in the region, but we will never give up our national interests, primarily our sovereignty and territorial integrity, Jeremic stressed.

From Serbia’s perspective, the biggest problem is that some countries recognised the unilaterally declared independence by Kosovo-Metohija, he said.

Jeremic said that one of the open issues with Croatia is the claim for genocide submitted by Croatia against Serbia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Minister expressed hope that Croatia will give up the claim, which would be seen as a positive signal from Zagreb.

Jeremic reiterated that regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations are among the Serbian government’s top foreign policy priorities and one of the conditions for integration of Western Balkans in the EU, which is a central strategic priority of both Belgrade and all governments in the region.

We must work on that together to help each other, and not hinder, said the Minister and voiced hope that precisely such an approach to the shared central strategic priority will become visible in the time ahead.

Speaking about unfreezing the transitional agreement with the EU, he said that full cooperation with the Hague tribunal is a condition for that, and considering the fact that Serbia is cooperating with the tribunal fully, it is hoped that the agreement will be unfrozen as soon as possible.

The Minister said that the deployment of EULEX to Kosovo is a matter of controversy for both Brussels and Belgrade, and specified that Serbia has nothing against the reconfiguration of the international civilian presence which would be in accordance with Resolution 1244, status-neutral and explicitly approved by the Security Council.

We have nothing against a more active EU presence anywhere in Serbia, including Kosovo. We are willing to talk with the international community about reconfiguration, but there are certain limits which are linked above all to safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Jeremic.

According to Jeremic, agreement is possible when there is good will on all sides, and Serbia is ready to make efforts regarding the issue.

Speaking about Serbia’s relations with the US, the Minister said that he hopes that relations will improve, but pointed out that Serbia will never give up its rightful and diplomatic struggle to preserve its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Commenting on whether other aspects of Serbia’s foreign policy are being neglected because of Kosovo, Jeremic said that any country in the world subjected to such direct undermining of its sovereignty and territorial integrity would put defence among its top foreign policy priorities, particularly when it decides to defend itself by diplomatic means.