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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Jeremic urges UN members to support Serbia’s resolution

Belgrade/New York, 8 October 2008

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic urged UN member countries to support Serbia's initiative before the UN General Assembly to ask for opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the legality of unilateral declaration of Kosovo-Metohija's independence.

Vuk Jeremic addresses the United Nations General Assembly

Author: Fonet

Sending the resolution to the ICJ would reduce tensions in the region and in the rest of the world, Jeremic explained.

Serbia believes that sending this question to the ICJ would prevent the Kosovo crisis from serving as a deeply problematic precedent in any part of the globe where secessionist ambitions are harboured, Jeremic said.

We also believe that the ICJ advisory opinion would provide politically neutral, yet judicially authoritative guidance to many countries still deliberating on how to approach the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo-Metohija in line with international law, the Minister added.

According to him, Serbia believes that recourse to the ICJ would strengthen the rule of law in international relations, and make the proposed course of action a symbol of the world community's resolve to take the UN Charter as its guide.

Supporting this resolution would also serve to reaffirm a fundamental principle: the right of any member state of the UN to pose a simple, basic question on a matter it considers vitally important to the international court, Jeremic said, noting that to vote against would be in effect a vote to deny the right of any country – now or in the future – to seek judicial recourse through the UN system.

Jeremic noted that to vote against would also mean accepting that nothing could be done when secessionists in whichever part of the globe assert the uniqueness of their cause, and claim exception to the universal scope of the international legal order.

Jeremic noted that all UN members have on numerous occasions demonstrated their belief in the ICJ as the supreme UN organ, and added that no one should doubt that the court will once again carry out its duty in the best possible way. The question we are faced with is clear and abstains from any political positions regarding Kosovo, and the answer, which is yet to unfold in the form of an advisory opinion, will be based on international law in line with the ICJ’s statute and rulebook, said the Minister. Jeremic invited those present at the session to adopt the document and enable the court to act freely and impartially within its competencies.

We are certain that the ICJ will know what to do and will take into consideration all stances of interested member states and international organisations, reiterated Jeremic and added that the best way for the resolution to be adopted is without opposition, just as it was included in the agenda at the UN General Committee session.