Jeremić: Kosovo, EU separate topics

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that EU integrations and the Kosovo status question are two separate issues. "In the last two years of our diplomatic fight for Kosovo, we have preserved peace and stability in the region, began the historic process before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and kept the number of recognitions for the self-proclaimed independence to a minimum," Jeremic told Belgrade daily Danas. Jeremic: Kosovo, EU separate topics “Serbia faced efforts to impose the taking away of 15 percent of its territory over the last two years, which was supported by some of the most powerful countries in the world, in a difficult economic situation, and a period of a blockade in the European integration process,” Jeremic reminded. “We chose a diplomatic fight, patient and energetic, with which we achieved a precedent in the history of this region. Many had written us off in the beginning, believing that Serbia cannot do it, but we dissuaded them,” Jeremic said. He said that at the same time, Serbia increase the speed of its European integration process and was very successful in 2009 in both its diplomatic fight for Kosovo and Metohija and EU integration. Asked about the biggest challenges ahead, Jeremic said that the key moment will be when the ICJ gives its opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence. "After this, we will do everything to restore dialogue regarding Kosovo’s status in order to reach a solution that is acceptable for all sides," Jeremic said. He said that the situation in the north of Kosovo cannot slow down Serbia’s process for become a candidate for EU membership. “The official policies of Belgrade and Brussels are very clear that the only road for Serbia is towards EU membership and that Kosovo is a separate question. We will do everything to keep it that way, because combining the two topics would not be beneficial for peace and stability in the region,” the foreign minister said. Jeremic's interview for the newspaper came as the Kosovo's Albanians mark two years since the unilateral proclamation. It has been rejected by Belgrade as an illegal act of secession, and the territory has not been able to join UN. Vuk Jeremic (FoNet, file)

Jeremić: Kosovo, EU separate topics

“Serbia faced efforts to impose the taking away of 15 percent of its territory over the last two years, which was supported by some of the most powerful countries in the world, in a difficult economic situation, and a period of a blockade in the European integration process,” Jeremić reminded.

“We chose a diplomatic fight, patient and energetic, with which we achieved a precedent in the history of this region. Many had written us off in the beginning, believing that Serbia cannot do it, but we dissuaded them,” Jeremić said.

He said that at the same time, Serbia increase the speed of its European integration process and was very successful in 2009 in both its diplomatic fight for Kosovo and Metohija and EU integration.

Asked about the biggest challenges ahead, Jeremić said that the key moment will be when the ICJ gives its opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence.

"After this, we will do everything to restore dialogue regarding Kosovo’s status in order to reach a solution that is acceptable for all sides," Jeremić said.

He said that the situation in the north of Kosovo cannot slow down Serbia’s process for become a candidate for EU membership.

“The official policies of Belgrade and Brussels are very clear that the only road for Serbia is towards EU membership and that Kosovo is a separate question. We will do everything to keep it that way, because combining the two topics would not be beneficial for peace and stability in the region,” the foreign minister said.

Jeremić's interview for the newspaper came as the Kosovo's Albanians mark two years since the unilateral proclamation. It has been rejected by Belgrade as an illegal act of secession, and the territory has not been able to join UN.