Tadić: Transfer Kosovo to legal arena

Boris Tadic says he'll try to garner support for the Kosovo issue to be transferred from the political to the legal arena. "So far we have had the backing of some permanent Security Council member states and UN General Assembly members, but it’s obvious that we need broader support,” the president said. Tadic: Transfer Kosovo to legal arena "Therefore our initiative to get the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion and the resolution we’re putting before the UN General Assembly is vitally important for the further process regarding the future status of Kosovo,” the president explained. He said that it would be good if the Kosovo issue was transferred from the political to the legal arena, because Serbia’s best arguments lay in the domain of international law. "That way we could find new ways and new capacities to restart negotiations, and at the same time, we’d have the opportunity to win over other countries that have not been with us on the Kosovo issue, for them to have a more flexible attitude, if not the best possible attitude, when it comes to Serbia’s interests,” Tadic said. The president’s press service reported that he said that while in New York, he would be meeting with more than 30 heads of delegation that would be addressing the General Assembly, and that he would be talking to them about the Serbian initiative, trying to win them over, so that they would vote for it at the UN General Assembly session. "We will also discuss economic issues, investment opportunities, job creation in Serbia, but these talks will most certainly give us the opportunity to discuss the future of the EULEX mission, which, in our opinion, should also receive legitimacy through a UN Security Council decision,” Tadic said. The president said that the Serbian delegation was facing “very exhausting days, lengthy bilateral meetings, and a fight for the interests of the state and of Serbian citizens’. Tadic reiterated that the policy of safeguarding Serbia’s European future and its integrity over Kosovo had received the support of the voters. He said that he had always taken into consideration the support of the vast majority of Serbian citizens when setting forth Belgrade’s position at international forums. "We cannot and will not retreat from that policy,” Tadic said. "That policy is the format for negotiations and talks with international envoys. At the same time, it gives us full legitimacy when holding talks in the UN Security Council and the General Assembly in future,” he explained. Boris Tadic (FoNet, archive) Tadic to travel to New York President Boris Tadic will travel to New York on September 21 to attend the 63rd General Assembly session. Tadic will address the General Assembly on September 23, the first day of the general debate. In addition, the president will hold a series of bilateral meetings, over 30, with representatives of UN member-states, with whom he will primarily discuss Serbia’s initiative to seek the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration. As one of the central themes of his address, he will highlight improving economic relations with UN member-states. Tadic will also speak to participants at a presentation entitled “Investing in Serbia” at the Harvard Club in New York on September 24, and at a “Environmental Sustainable Development” Round Table on September 25. The president will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, and the two will stay in New York until September 27. In a statement to Tanjug yesterday, he voiced his satisfaction with the UN General Committee’s decision to include Serbia’s initiative on the General Assembly’s agenda. Tadic said that that decision was confirmation that Belgrade’s diplomatic efforts had borne fruit, though stressed that the job was far from over. Serbia’s initiative still needed to go the vote in the General Assembly, the result of which, said the president, was by no means certain. “The Serbian delegation faces a big job and, in New York, we’ll try to convince as many UN members as possible to support our resolution in direct talks,” he underlined.

Tadić: Transfer Kosovo to legal arena

"Therefore our initiative to get the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion and the resolution we’re putting before the UN General Assembly is vitally important for the further process regarding the future status of Kosovo,” the president explained.

He said that it would be good if the Kosovo issue was transferred from the political to the legal arena, because Serbia’s best arguments lay in the domain of international law.

"That way we could find new ways and new capacities to restart negotiations, and at the same time, we’d have the opportunity to win over other countries that have not been with us on the Kosovo issue, for them to have a more flexible attitude, if not the best possible attitude, when it comes to Serbia’s interests,” Tadić said.

The president’s press service reported that he said that while in New York, he would be meeting with more than 30 heads of delegation that would be addressing the General Assembly, and that he would be talking to them about the Serbian initiative, trying to win them over, so that they would vote for it at the UN General Assembly session.

"We will also discuss economic issues, investment opportunities, job creation in Serbia, but these talks will most certainly give us the opportunity to discuss the future of the EULEX mission, which, in our opinion, should also receive legitimacy through a UN Security Council decision,” Tadić said.

The president said that the Serbian delegation was facing “very exhausting days, lengthy bilateral meetings, and a fight for the interests of the state and of Serbian citizens’.

Tadić reiterated that the policy of safeguarding Serbia’s European future and its integrity over Kosovo had received the support of the voters.

He said that he had always taken into consideration the support of the vast majority of Serbian citizens when setting forth Belgrade’s position at international forums.

"We cannot and will not retreat from that policy,” Tadić said.

"That policy is the format for negotiations and talks with international envoys. At the same time, it gives us full legitimacy when holding talks in the UN Security Council and the General Assembly in future,” he explained.

Tadić to travel to New York

President Boris Tadić will travel to New York on September 21 to attend the 63rd General Assembly session.

Tadić will address the General Assembly on September 23, the first day of the general debate.

In addition, the president will hold a series of bilateral meetings, over 30, with representatives of UN member-states, with whom he will primarily discuss Serbia’s initiative to seek the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration.

As one of the central themes of his address, he will highlight improving economic relations with UN member-states.

Tadić will also speak to participants at a presentation entitled “Investing in Serbia” at the Harvard Club in New York on September 24, and at a “Environmental Sustainable Development” Round Table on September 25.

The president will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, and the two will stay in New York until September 27.

In a statement to Tanjug yesterday, he voiced his satisfaction with the UN General Committee’s decision to include Serbia’s initiative on the General Assembly’s agenda.

Tadić said that that decision was confirmation that Belgrade’s diplomatic efforts had borne fruit, though stressed that the job was far from over.

Serbia’s initiative still needed to go the vote in the General Assembly, the result of which, said the president, was by no means certain.

“The Serbian delegation faces a big job and, in New York, we’ll try to convince as many UN members as possible to support our resolution in direct talks,” he underlined.