Tadić: Serious UN SC debate to follow

Tadić: Serious UN SC debate to follow

"If Ahtisaari's proposal was to be accepted, it would be the first time in contemporary history that territory would be taken away from a democratic, peaceful country in order to satisfy the aspirations of a particular ethnic group that already has its nation-state," he said.

"The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia cannot be compromised," Tadić's statement concluded.

Prime minister Vojislav Koštunica addressed the participants in the meeting saying that “any wrong decision will inevitably have far-reaching consequences for Serbia, as well as the entire Balkan region.”

"In other words, this means that any misconceived decision would represent a dangerous precedent for the entire international order. Today, we still have the opportunity to make a decision together in order to direct the resolution process towards a compromise and just solution which will enable peaceful and safe future for everyone in Kosovo, entire Serbia and beyond," Koštunica said.

"We are duly warning that any attempt at imposing a solution to a free state is equal to legal violence and represents an absolutely impermissible way of solving current problems," he added.

"Serbia is pointing to the fact that ever since the UN were formed and the UN Charter came into force, it has never happened that a considerable portion of territory be taken away from one of its member countries. The severing of Kosovo-Metohija from Serbia would represent the most dangerous precedent in the history of the UN," Koštunica said.

"Substantial autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija is not an empty word or a platitude, but the best and most certain way for enabling the ethnic Albanian minority in the province to manage their own lives and future the way they find most fit", the prime minister said, adding that substantial autonomy was a realistic solution in line with the UN Charter and essential principles of international law.

At the end of his address, Koštunica said Serbia was taking the opportunity to “call for a continuation of proper and comprehensive negotiations on the basis of Resolution 1244 which would lead to a compromise solution”.

UN special Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s press conference has been scheduled for later in the afternoon.

After the ongoing one-day talks in Vienna have concluded, Ahtisaari will submit his Kosovo status proposal to the UN Security Council.

Ahtisaari’s spokesman Remi Durlot said Friday the amended version of his comprehensive Kosovo status proposal considered by the two parties today would likely be the final version of the document.