Jeremić, Rice to meet in Washington

Jeremić, Rice to meet in Washington

In meetings with members of the Serbian caucus in the U.S. Congress, Jeremić, according to Voice of America, received assurances that they would try and soften the Bush administration's stance on the Kosovo situation and its leanings towards independence.

In light of his two day visit, Jeremić said that it will be a “key visit in Serbia's efforts to fight for the essential quality of the coming negotiation process for the future status of Kosovo.”

"Several resolutions about the future status of Kosovo and Metohija are currently in procedure before the Congress and the Senate. We have so far been very successful in preventing the passing of such resolutions," Jeremić told Serbian state television (RTS) Thursday, Beta reported.

In his words, now, when new negotiations on the future status of Kosovo are about to begin, "there are even more arguments against such resolutions," because they would "only complicate the situation."

The foreign minister said he used the meetings with the Congress and Senate leaders to reiterate the official stands of Serbia and to inform the U.S. politicians about the current situation regarding Kosovo.

He also said that the majority of the officials he met demonstrated a high degree of understanding of the issue.

Asked what he would tell U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday, and national security adviser Stephen Hadley, Jeremić said they already knew what Belgrade's stand was.

"We have not changed our stand regarding the issue of Kosovo and Metohija since the very beginning, but I wish to dedicate myself to these meetings in a way that will have as a result the reopening of a constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Washington," the Serbian foreign minister said.

He said that he expected to encounter "a greater readiness to hear what Belgrade is offering," which is flexible and prepared to make compromises.

In an interview with the Associated Press Thursday, Jeremić said that Serbia would use a new period of negotiations over the future of Kosovo to press for a solution short of independence.

"There are a growing number of countries who realize that the cost of imposing a solution outside the Security Council is high and therefore starting to think about whether there could be a more optimal solution," he added.

Though expressing pro-American sentiments, Jeremić was critical of the U.S. negotiating position on Kosovo.

"If you are pushing parties in the negotiations, then it doesn't make much sense that you are announcing in advance what should be the outcome of these negotiations," he said.

Jeremić also criticized repeated U.S. assertions that further delays in granting independence to Kosovo could lead to violence by ethnic Albanians frustrated by the process.

He said Serbia was committed to integrating in Western Europe and would not resort to violence whatever the outcome.

"Serbia is committed to peace and will stay committed to peace under any circumstances," Jeremić said.

But Serbia will not accept Kosovo's independence.

"No sovereign democratic country in the world would be prepared to accept independence and infringing of its own sovereignty," Jeremić stressed.