Vienna backs Ahtisaari's plan

Vienna backs Ahtisaari's plan

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is also in Serbia today, to meet with the country’s top officials discussing Kosovo and other issues, and to attend the BSEC session.

“Serbia greatly appreciates China’s position on Kosovo”

Serbian prime minister Vojislav Koštunica met today with Chinese vice premier Hui Liangyu and said that Serbia “greatly appreciates China’s stance that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and UN Charter, guaranteeing sovereignty and territorial integrity of all internationally recognized states and inviolability of their borders, must be respected,” a government statement said.

Liangyu stressed that China’s position on the issue was consistent and clear, adding that his country is devoted to the respect of Resolution 1244, the statement continued.

Liangyu pointed that China was against an imposed Kosovo solution as well as the imposing of deadlines for finding a solution, adding that “a compromise resolution must be reached through talks between Belgrade and Priština”.

Only a compromise solution, acceptable for both sides, can preserve peace and stability in the region, he added.

According to the statement, Koštunica said that a sustainable solution was attainable, and described it as substantial autonomy for the province.

Koštunica and Liangyu agreed that Serbia and China had traditionally satisfactory and friendly relations and were willing to strengthen their cooperation.

They paid special attention to the countries’ economic cooperation and stressed the opportunities for improving in several areas, such as agriculture, civil engineering, as well as pharmaceutical and metal industries.

Tadić: Solution will affect all of Europe

President Boris Tadić said today, speaking at the BSEC session, that the manner which will be chosen to solve the Kosovo status issue will influence not only the Western Balkans states’ security, but Europe as a whole.

“The problem of Kosovo-Metohija must be solved in a European way. My country worked on finding a compromise solution acceptable to both sides, which would respenct Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, while taking into account Kosovo Albanians’ legitimate demands for self-governance,” Tadić said.

Tadić stressed that while Serbia will not recognize Kosovo’s possible independence, it remained committed to European values and further European integration.