Serbian FM: Bid for Kosovo solution continues

Serbia is not finished with its fight for finding a compromise solution for Kosovo’s final status, Serbia’s Minister for Kosovo has said. His comments follow Serbia’s 28 July submission of a resolution to the UN General Assembly, describing Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence as being “not acceptable”.

In an interview with the daily Vecernje Novosti newspaper published on Tuesday, he said Serbia does not want to finish the process as the winner, but does not want to come out of it damaged and stripped of its own territory either.

He said: “We expect the UN to put some sense into the Albanians and influence them to agree to constructive talks on the future of Kosovo.

“That is why I believe that it would have been much worse had we not submitted the resolution to the UN.”

He also said the pressure on the countries that have not recognised Kosovo’s independence to change their position was enormous, but the Serbian government believes they will remain consistent in their stance.

Serbia submitted the resolution on July 28, just six days after the International Court of Justice, ICJ, found that Kosovo’s declaration did not violate international law.

The resolution states that unilateral secession is not an acceptable means to solve territorial disputes.

The resolution also calls for dialogue as a way to reach mutually acceptable solutions “for all open issues” in the interest of peace, safety and co-operation in the region.

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told the same newspaper it was almost impossible Serbia will be able to convince enough governments to support the resolution.

“However, we will make every necessary effort, use every diplomatic mean and we’ll try to reach everyone who will listen,” he said.

Kosovo is now recognised by 69 out of 192 UN member states.