Morocco urges status talks for Kosovo

Moroccan ambassador to Serbia Kamal Faqir Benaissa stated that he hopes that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina would be renewed. He said that some of the big powers of the world would probably make Serbia's diplomatic efforts more difficult in the United Nations. Morocco urges status talks for Kosovo “Serbia still has friends. Belgrade will try to renew the talks and I hope that it will succeed," Benaissa said in an interview with the Tanjug news agency. He said that his country supports a political solution to the Kosovo issue. “There are political interests for some of the big powers to make the diplomatic efforts of Serbia for reaching such a solution more difficult...But, it is impossible for the diplomatic activity of Serbian President Boris Tadic and his emissaries not to have a positive response and not produce results," the ambassador said. Ambassador Benaissa reminded that Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri clearly expressed Morocco's stance on the issue of the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo to his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic during his last visit to Rabat in September 2009. Morocco supports Serbia in its efforts to preserve the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the ambassador said. Expressing his regrets over the contents of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Benaissa said that he personally wanted a "more balanced, instead of a strictly formulated, decision." "I am confident that there are political reasons behind such a decision of the Court," said Benaissa. He recalled that Moroccan Judge Mohamed Bennouna was among the four ICJ judges who voted against the majority's advisory opinion that the temporary institutions in Pristina did not violate international law by declaring independence unilaterally.

Morocco urges status talks for Kosovo

“Serbia still has friends. Belgrade will try to renew the talks and I hope that it will succeed," Benaissa said in an interview with the Tanjug news agency.

He said that his country supports a political solution to the Kosovo issue.

“There are political interests for some of the big powers to make the diplomatic efforts of Serbia for reaching such a solution more difficult...But, it is impossible for the diplomatic activity of Serbian President Boris Tadić and his emissaries not to have a positive response and not produce results," the ambassador said.

Ambassador Benaissa reminded that Moroccan Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi-Fihri clearly expressed Morocco's stance on the issue of the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo to his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremić during his last visit to Rabat in September 2009.

Morocco supports Serbia in its efforts to preserve the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the ambassador said.

Expressing his regrets over the contents of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Benaissa said that he personally wanted a "more balanced, instead of a strictly formulated, decision."

"I am confident that there are political reasons behind such a decision of the Court," said Benaissa.

He recalled that Moroccan Judge Mohamed Bennouna was among the four ICJ judges who voted against the majority's advisory opinion that the temporary institutions in Priština did not violate international law by declaring independence unilaterally.