Tadić: International court to rule on Kosovo

Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and President Boris Tadic have both reacted to latest developments over Kosovo. Kostunica said that it was vitally important that the EU had not taken a decision to recognize a unilateral declaration of independence by the Kosovo Albanians, adding that there was now all the more reason to continue negotiations. Tadic: International court to rule on Kosovo Tadic announced that Serbia would petition the UN Security Council to ask the International Court of Justice for its opinion on whether the province’s independence would be legal or not. The prime minister said that there was added reason to resume talks in order to reach a negotiated solution that would be in keeping with the UN Charter and the Serbian Constitution. He said that any decision to recognize independence would represent a most blatant contravention of international law and the UN Charter. “Several EU member-states continue to insist on adherence to Resolution 1244 that explicitly obliges all states to respect Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Had the EU taken the decision to recognize a unilateral declaration of independence, that would have represented a serious problem as far as Serbia’s relations with the EU are concerned,” said Kostunica. The prime minister stressed that “for that reason, it is important that the EU stayed true to its founding act and did not contravene the basic principle of international law of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all internationally recognized states.” Tadic said yesterday evening that Serbia would petition the UN Security Council to ask for the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of Kosovo independence. “We are witnesses to the fact that December 10, as many dates before, has not been crucial to settling the Kosovo question,” said the president. He announced the resumption of a diplomatic initiative to preserve Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “We have to stay calm and composed for all the circumstances that await us,” stressed Tadic, reiterating that the negotiating process had begun two years ago, and that back then, many had predicted that Kosovo would be independent within six months. The president underlined that “we must do everything to prevent Kosovo’s independence, to find allies in this process, but we have to do it all in a calm, thought-out manner.” “But should such a decision be taken, it is up to us to annul any unilateral decisions, and launch an international legal process before institutions to annul such an act,” he warned. Speaking of the Security Council session on December 19, Tadic said that “we are going with our clear negotiating position, with the expectation that all SC members will take our arguments into consideration.” Reiterating that “we have continuity in our diplomatic offensive,” the president added that “we’re talking with SC members and outlining why Kosovo independence is completely unacceptable.” “We have to take a whole series of legal acts and steps, and should we succeed with our initiative before the International Court, I think that would be an important argument for the SC not to move towards increasing the likelihood of the province’s independence,” he said. The president repeated that he had held a series of talks with representatives of international security institutions, asking for guarantees for the Serbs in Kosovo, and all others, and that he had spoken with European officials. Kostunica, Tadic (FoNet, archive)

Tadić: International court to rule on Kosovo

Tadić announced that Serbia would petition the UN Security Council to ask the International Court of Justice for its opinion on whether the province’s independence would be legal or not.

The prime minister said that there was added reason to resume talks in order to reach a negotiated solution that would be in keeping with the UN Charter and the Serbian Constitution.

He said that any decision to recognize independence would represent a most blatant contravention of international law and the UN Charter.

“Several EU member-states continue to insist on adherence to Resolution 1244 that explicitly obliges all states to respect Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Had the EU taken the decision to recognize a unilateral declaration of independence, that would have represented a serious problem as far as Serbia’s relations with the EU are concerned,” said Koštunica.

The prime minister stressed that “for that reason, it is important that the EU stayed true to its founding act and did not contravene the basic principle of international law of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all internationally recognized states.”

Tadić said yesterday evening that Serbia would petition the UN Security Council to ask for the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of Kosovo independence.

“We are witnesses to the fact that December 10, as many dates before, has not been crucial to settling the Kosovo question,” said the president.

He announced the resumption of a diplomatic initiative to preserve Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We have to stay calm and composed for all the circumstances that await us,” stressed Tadić, reiterating that the negotiating process had begun two years ago, and that back then, many had predicted that Kosovo would be independent within six months.

The president underlined that “we must do everything to prevent Kosovo’s independence, to find allies in this process, but we have to do it all in a calm, thought-out manner.”

“But should such a decision be taken, it is up to us to annul any unilateral decisions, and launch an international legal process before institutions to annul such an act,” he warned.

Speaking of the Security Council session on December 19, Tadić said that “we are going with our clear negotiating position, with the expectation that all SC members will take our arguments into consideration.”

Reiterating that “we have continuity in our diplomatic offensive,” the president added that “we’re talking with SC members and outlining why Kosovo independence is completely unacceptable.”

“We have to take a whole series of legal acts and steps, and should we succeed with our initiative before the International Court, I think that would be an important argument for the SC not to move towards increasing the likelihood of the province’s independence,” he said.

The president repeated that he had held a series of talks with representatives of international security institutions, asking for guarantees for the Serbs in Kosovo, and all others, and that he had spoken with European officials.