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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Kosovo representatives to participate in Sarajevo conference only in accordance with Resolution 1244

Belgrade, 17 May 2010

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic said that a firm agreement has been reached that the Pristina authorities at the forthcoming conference in Sarajevo are represented in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

Jeremic said yesterday, in an interview with Tanjug prior to today's Security Council session on Kosovo-Metohija, that an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo could be submitted to the General Assembly as early as this summer.

A firm agreement with the Spanish organisers of the conference of the European Union – Western Balkans has been reached that the format of the participation of the provisional institutions from Pristina in Sarajevo be in accordance with Resolution 1244, in the presence of the UNMIK, said the Minister.

The Minister said that this was confirmed to Serbian representatives during the meetings with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini in Ancona and in Belgrade, adding that the way Pristina will be represented at this meeting will be in accordance with Serbia’s constitutional position relating to Kosovo-Metohija.

He pointed out that the conference which will be held on 2 June in Sarajevo is very important especially in the light of the current crisis and the fact that in certain parts of the EU there is growing scepticism towards the continuation of the enlargement process.

Jeremic stressed that Serbia will do everything it can for the conference to be successful, and expressed the hope that the representatives of Pristina will decide to participate.

Serbia will not at any cost give up its demands that Kosovo cannot be represented as an independent country, he stated.

He also said today at a session of the UN Security Council that a representative of the provisional institutions in Pristina will be accompanied by UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier and will not have any statehood marks like the name of the country on the table but only the names of the participants.

Speaking about the forthcoming session of the UN Security Council and the report of the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Minister said that the report has been studied thoroughly and that Serbia will point at all flaws in it during the meeting.

Asked whether the pressure on countries that have not recognised the unilaterally proclaimed independence by Pristina are still continuing, Jeremic said that in direct communication with many countries around the world we may conclude that these increased pressures are manifold.

Speaking of the diplomatic action that Serbia has taken after Serbian mobile operators were switched off in the province, the Minister said that the overall efforts of our country have brought results, thanks to which now the vast majority of our compatriots in Kosovo-Metohija again have a signal.

It is of crucial importance that similar incidents are not repeated, as they obviously destabilise the already fragile situation, he said.

The Minister recalled that Serbia from the beginning advocated that a compromised solution for Kosovo-Metohija be achieved through dialogue.

The Minister noted that in this process there cannot be winners or losers.

In the end a compromise must be reached, the Minister said, adding that Serbia will do everything for this to happen.