Tadić "hopeful" over ICJ initiative

President Boris Tadic said today that he hopes the UN General Assembly will consider Serbia’s Kosovo initiative. The president said in Belgrade that if the UN approves Serbia’s request to present the case of Kosovo’s unilateral independence proclamation to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), there is a good chance that the court will agree with Belgrade's claim that the declaration was illegal. Tadic "hopeful" over ICJ initiative “I believe that Serbia’s chances lie in the ICJ siding with Serbia, and afterwards, we will begin a new phase of solving the Kosovo status crisis that upholding international law,” Tadic said. Such a ruling by the ICJ, according to the president, would increase Serbia’s international credibility, and show her to be a country that does not defend democracy with force, but with democratic and legal principles and instruments. “A positive decision would show that Serbia is a country that acts according to legal and democratic rules when her integrity is in question. That would be an important and qualitative step compared to the policies of the 1990s,” he said. Tadic added that Serbia would with a positive decision, "secure a European future defending her dignity, the integrity of the country, sovereignty, and the rights of the citizens that are at risk in Kosovo.” He said that Serbia has three foreign policy plans that are most important—the temporary agreement with the EU, defining the authority of EULEX in Kosovo, “which can be done exclusively through the UN Security Council”, and the presentation of the ICJ initiative before the UN General Assembly. “EULEX and the EU presence in Kosovo is not an issue for Serbia if the mission shows status neutrality and does not carry out the Ahtisaari plan, and if it arrives in Kosovo in accordance with international law,” Tadic said. He added that Serbia "wants the EU in Kosovo, but not the implementation of the Ahtisaari plan". Asked whether he expects Russia’s support in the UN, Tadic thanked Russia once again for the principle stance regarding Kosovo and Moscow's position in the UN when Kosovo was on the agenda. “We are working to secure the support of a majority of the General Assembly and no pressure or threats will stop us from defending Kosovo and Metohija through peaceful means,” Tadic said.

Tadić "hopeful" over ICJ initiative

“I believe that Serbia’s chances lie in the ICJ siding with Serbia, and afterwards, we will begin a new phase of solving the Kosovo status crisis that upholding international law,” Tadić said.

Such a ruling by the ICJ, according to the president, would increase Serbia’s international credibility, and show her to be a country that does not defend democracy with force, but with democratic and legal principles and instruments.

“A positive decision would show that Serbia is a country that acts according to legal and democratic rules when her integrity is in question. That would be an important and qualitative step compared to the policies of the 1990s,” he said.

Tadić added that Serbia would with a positive decision, "secure a European future defending her dignity, the integrity of the country, sovereignty, and the rights of the citizens that are at risk in Kosovo.”

He said that Serbia has three foreign policy plans that are most important—the temporary agreement with the EU, defining the authority of EULEX in Kosovo, “which can be done exclusively through the UN Security Council”, and the presentation of the ICJ initiative before the UN General Assembly.

“EULEX and the EU presence in Kosovo is not an issue for Serbia if the mission shows status neutrality and does not carry out the Ahtisaari plan, and if it arrives in Kosovo in accordance with international law,” Tadić said.

He added that Serbia "wants the EU in Kosovo, but not the implementation of the Ahtisaari plan".

Asked whether he expects Russia’s support in the UN, Tadić thanked Russia once again for the principle stance regarding Kosovo and Moscow's position in the UN when Kosovo was on the agenda.

“We are working to secure the support of a majority of the General Assembly and no pressure or threats will stop us from defending Kosovo and Metohija through peaceful means,” Tadić said.