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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

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Majority in African Union supports Serbia's territorial integrity

Belgrade/Addis Ababa, 28 January 2010

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic today invited the African Union countries that have not recognised the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo-Metohija to remain on this position for the sake of consolidation of the international order for the 21st century based on respect of law.

Author: Fonet

Addressing the session of the Council of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Jeremic said that Serbia deeply appreciates that more than eighty percent of the countries of the African Union did not recognise the separatists in Kosovo-Metohija.

Your support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia is really encouraging, said the Minister, adding that he came to the conference to ask the members of the African Union to maintain their reserves regarding Kosovo-Metohija. We are asking all countries present here that have not recognised Kosovo-Metohija to remain in this position, not only in the name of our traditional friendly relations, but for the sake of consolidation of the international order for the 21st century, which should be based on respect of law, said the Minister. According to him, in such an order secession would clearly be seen as a dangerous threat, and the agreement of interested parties as the only sustainable way to solve the problem. He stressed that the Kosovo-Metohija issue will become a strong precedent and it is of crucial importance to allow the International Court of Justice do their job without pressure in the form of further recognition.

The Minister recalled that this is the first time that the ICJ was asked to comment on the legality of unilateral secession of a member of the United Nations, contrary to the constitution of that country and against the will of the UN Security Council. Jeremic said that the only way to avoid inflicting further damage to the legitimacy and values of the international system are to open the road for negotiations and a compromise solution on the province's future status. According to him, the decision of the ICJ will have broad consequences for the entire international community, and perhaps most precisely the countries of the African Union. Imagine how many countries on the African continent that are UN member states could be affected if legitimacy is given for violent division, Jeremic said and added that the borders of multiethnic countries would be vulnerable, creating instability in all parts of Africa.

He recalled there are close ties between Belgrade and Africa in modern history, including cooperation in the Non-Aligned Movement, and added that Serbia would become an EU member but will not depart from the belief that the international stability and prosperity can be secured only by taking into account the attitudes of the important factor on the world scene such as the African Union. The Minister said that Serbia, once it becomes an EU member, will be a bridge between the European Union and the African Union, and added that Serbia’s membership in the EU would ensure that more than forty African countries have a true friend in Brussels. As a monitoring country, Serbia fully supports the vision and objectives of the African Union rooted in the UN Charter, concluded the Minister.