Tadić: Serbia will never recognize independent Kosovo

President Boris Tadic says Serbia will never recognize Kosovo’s independence. Speaking in Munich today, Tadic added that the province’s independence could lead to unpredictable consequences not only for the region, but for the entire world. Tadic: Serbia will never recognize independent Kosovo The president, who is taking part in the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy, told reporters that he expected the west Balkan states to exercise maximum restraint regarding Kosovo, since their representatives know only too well the problems inherent there “All governments and heads of state in the region should bear in mind that Kosovo is a serious problem, they know very well what the source of the problems there is, and also that any bad moves would have negative repercussions throughout the western Balkans,” Tadic said after a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “Serbia will defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty using all diplomatic and legal means, but definitely not war,” he underlined. “Serbia will defend its territorial integrity with dignity, like a European country,” Tadic said, pointing out that Serbia supported the territorial integrity of all the states in the region created following the conflicts of the 1990s. “Serbia does not accept Kosovo’s independence, it wants a resumption of negotiations and a compromise solution that will satisfy both sides,” the president explained. “A declaration of Kosovo independence would be an entirely illegal act,” he emphasized, stressing that international law was on Serbia's side as well. Tadic is heading the Serbian delegation at the international security policy conference in Munich. The delegation also includes Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac. Boris Tadic (FoNet) Tadic: All engagements must go via UN SC Boris Tadic said in Munich last night every international engagement in Kosovo must go through the UN Security Council. Speaking at the Conference on Security Policy, Tadic stressed that the UN Security Council was the competent body in the case of Kosovo, as stipulated by Resolution 1244. Action via the Security Council guarantees the legality of the final decision, he said. “A precedent would be set were Serbia to have a part of its territory taken from it against its will—and that’s what imposed independence for Kosovo essentially is—which would in turn lead to an escalation of many existing conflicts, a re-ignition of some frozen conflicts and provocation of who knows how many new conflicts,” explained the president. Serbia cannot accept “fragmentation“ of its country, and in that sense “is no different from any other internationally recognized state,“ he stressed. “Nor will we accept Serbia’s isolation, as we take decisive steps towards fully-fledged membership of the EU,“ Tadic continued. The president said that preservation of territorial integrity and close cooperation with Europe and the world were the essential principles of Serbian national interest and stressed that these would not change. “In my opinion, serious talks on Kosovo are necessary now,“ he said, citing as his reasons the protection of Serbian heritage , the resumption of the international presence in Kosovo, and the building of a stable, democratic and multi-ethnic society in the province. Tadic warned that if no talks were organized in the coming weeks, all three key sides in the Kosovo crisis—Belgrade, Pristina and the international community—would pay “an unacceptably high price“, and that that was “something that none of us can afford.“ “The optimal solution, of course, is for the whole of Serbia—Kosovo included—to become a member of the EU,“ said the president. As far as global security was concerned, he reiterated that Serbia had expressed its willingness to take part in peace missions under the UN flag and added that he believed in Serbia’s active engagement in the security domain, through participation in Euro-Atlantic structures like the Partnership for Peace.

Tadić: Serbia will never recognize independent Kosovo

The president, who is taking part in the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy, told reporters that he expected the west Balkan states to exercise maximum restraint regarding Kosovo, since their representatives know only too well the problems inherent there

“All governments and heads of state in the region should bear in mind that Kosovo is a serious problem, they know very well what the source of the problems there is, and also that any bad moves would have negative repercussions throughout the western Balkans,” Tadić said after a meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

“Serbia will defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty using all diplomatic and legal means, but definitely not war,” he underlined.

“Serbia will defend its territorial integrity with dignity, like a European country,” Tadić said, pointing out that Serbia supported the territorial integrity of all the states in the region created following the conflicts of the 1990s.

“Serbia does not accept Kosovo’s independence, it wants a resumption of negotiations and a compromise solution that will satisfy both sides,” the president explained.

“A declaration of Kosovo independence would be an entirely illegal act,” he emphasized, stressing that international law was on Serbia's side as well.

Tadić is heading the Serbian delegation at the international security policy conference in Munich. The delegation also includes Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić and Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac.

Tadić: All engagements must go via UN SC

Boris Tadić said in Munich last night every international engagement in Kosovo must go through the UN Security Council.

Speaking at the Conference on Security Policy, Tadić stressed that the UN Security Council was the competent body in the case of Kosovo, as stipulated by Resolution 1244. Action via the Security Council guarantees the legality of the final decision, he said.

“A precedent would be set were Serbia to have a part of its territory taken from it against its will—and that’s what imposed independence for Kosovo essentially is—which would in turn lead to an escalation of many existing conflicts, a re-ignition of some frozen conflicts and provocation of who knows how many new conflicts,” explained the president.

Serbia cannot accept “fragmentation“ of its country, and in that sense “is no different from any other internationally recognized state,“ he stressed.

“Nor will we accept Serbia’s isolation, as we take decisive steps towards fully-fledged membership of the EU,“ Tadić continued.

The president said that preservation of territorial integrity and close cooperation with Europe and the world were the essential principles of Serbian national interest and stressed that these would not change.

“In my opinion, serious talks on Kosovo are necessary now,“ he said, citing as his reasons the protection of Serbian heritage , the resumption of the international presence in Kosovo, and the building of a stable, democratic and multi-ethnic society in the province.

Tadić warned that if no talks were organized in the coming weeks, all three key sides in the Kosovo crisis—Belgrade, Priština and the international community—would pay “an unacceptably high price“, and that that was “something that none of us can afford.“

“The optimal solution, of course, is for the whole of Serbia—Kosovo included—to become a member of the EU,“ said the president.

As far as global security was concerned, he reiterated that Serbia had expressed its willingness to take part in peace missions under the UN flag and added that he believed in Serbia’s active engagement in the security domain, through participation in Euro-Atlantic structures like the Partnership for Peace.