Q:
A:
No solution to Kosovo-Metohija status without Serbia
Belgrade/Vienna,
24 November 2008
Deputy Prime Minister for EU Integration Bozidar Djelic said that Serbia will never accept the independence of Kosovo-Metohija and dismissed all rumours about the province’s division.
Author:
Tanjug
In an interview to the Vienna daily Presse Djelic said that Serbia is fighting for its territorial integrity by diplomatic means and hopes that a historic compromise over the province’s status may still be reached.
We are ready to go very far in responding to the needs of Kosovo Albanians. However, just like any other democracy, Serbia cannot agree to its own division. As you can see, Kosovo is still not a UN member. Some powerful European states have not recognised it and anyone can see that without Belgrade’s full support there can be no lasting solution for Kosovo, which means we must reach a compromise, said Djelic.
He also stressed his hope that the new US administration will have a fresh and more pragmatic view of Kosovo-Metohija’s status.
As for the EU mission in the province, Djelic said that a compromise between Serbia and the UN has been reached, adding that it envisages that the mission must be status-neutral and authorised by the Security Council and must not implement the Ahtisaari plan, which Serbia does not accept.
Serbia’s goal is not to endanger the EU mission in Kosovo. We are not opposed to its mandate as long as the conditions we have just agreed upon are fulfilled, noted the Deputy Prime Minister.
As for the EU integration process, Djelic said Serbia expects that the Hague tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will present a positive report on Belgrade’s cooperation with the court at the Security Council session early next month.
This report will be a good basis for the EU summit later in the year since decisions could be made to encourage the pro-European forces in Serbia, he noted.
Djelic recalled that Serbia is in the process of issuing new passports that are the most modern in the whole of Europe, therefore abolishing visas for Serbian citizens will not be a problem.
When reminded that Hague indictee Ratko Mladic is still on the run, Djelic said that the only problem is that one EU member, i.e. the Netherlands, is identifying Mladic’s extradition with Serbia’s full cooperation with the tribunal.
The arrest of Radovan Karadzic clearly showed Serbia’s readiness to fulfil its obligations. If Mladic is indeed in Serbia and if we locate him, we will, naturally, immediately deliver him, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
We are ready to go very far in responding to the needs of Kosovo Albanians. However, just like any other democracy, Serbia cannot agree to its own division. As you can see, Kosovo is still not a UN member. Some powerful European states have not recognised it and anyone can see that without Belgrade’s full support there can be no lasting solution for Kosovo, which means we must reach a compromise, said Djelic.
He also stressed his hope that the new US administration will have a fresh and more pragmatic view of Kosovo-Metohija’s status.
As for the EU mission in the province, Djelic said that a compromise between Serbia and the UN has been reached, adding that it envisages that the mission must be status-neutral and authorised by the Security Council and must not implement the Ahtisaari plan, which Serbia does not accept.
Serbia’s goal is not to endanger the EU mission in Kosovo. We are not opposed to its mandate as long as the conditions we have just agreed upon are fulfilled, noted the Deputy Prime Minister.
As for the EU integration process, Djelic said Serbia expects that the Hague tribunal’s Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz will present a positive report on Belgrade’s cooperation with the court at the Security Council session early next month.
This report will be a good basis for the EU summit later in the year since decisions could be made to encourage the pro-European forces in Serbia, he noted.
Djelic recalled that Serbia is in the process of issuing new passports that are the most modern in the whole of Europe, therefore abolishing visas for Serbian citizens will not be a problem.
When reminded that Hague indictee Ratko Mladic is still on the run, Djelic said that the only problem is that one EU member, i.e. the Netherlands, is identifying Mladic’s extradition with Serbia’s full cooperation with the tribunal.
The arrest of Radovan Karadzic clearly showed Serbia’s readiness to fulfil its obligations. If Mladic is indeed in Serbia and if we locate him, we will, naturally, immediately deliver him, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
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