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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Realistic chances of UN support to Serbia’s ICJ initiative

Belgrade, 6 October 2008

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stated that Serbia has realistic chances of gaining support at the UN General Assembly for its initiative to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence.

Appearing at the Pink television last night, Jeremic said that Serbia has realistic chances of garnering a majority vote, but that it should be aware of the fact that it is up against some of the most powerful countries which have been increasingly exerting pressure on UN members to vote against Serbia’s initiative at the General Assembly on October 8.

The great and mighty are set against us, but I believe that justice and law are on our side and that we will succeed, said the Minister adding that the final outcome will be a confirmation of international law and the fact that Serbia is fighting for justice at the international arena through peaceful means. He said that a considerable number of countries are not opposed to Serbia’s initiative and added that in the past several months, Serbian representatives have been lobbying not only with EU countries, but also with Arab, Latin American, Asian and African countries, as well as with the Non-aligned Movement.

He also reiterated that the reconfiguration of the UNMIK mission in Kosovo is possible only with an explicit decision by the Security Council, and added that whoever claims the opposite is wrong.

Following the UN vote we will be even more adamant in our defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity and will continue employing all legal means as we have done so far. There will be no destabilisation of the Balkans, but there will be a destabilisation of Serbia which is fighting for its national interest through legal methods, institutions and diplomatic means, stressed the Minister.

According to him, Serbia will do that before, during and after the vote and added that there will be no talk about altering its official stance when it comes to Kosovo-Metohija.