Dačić on new coalitions, Kosovo

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said that it is important for Serbia to have a number of parties that share "national and state values". The leader of the ruling SPS party also told Belgrade daily Politika on Sunday that a coalition could even be made between the Democratic Party (DS) and the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS), in order to serve "a higher interest”. Dacic on new coalitions, Kosovo He said that his Socialists were ready to participate in such a coalition, if a consensus were to be reached on various issues. Speaking about Serbia's moves regarding Kosovo, Dacic added that sending a draft resolution to the UN that would "to all intents and purposes" include a legalization of the stance that the Kosovo question is solved, "simply cannot be acceptable for Serbia neither in some sort of an agreement with the EU, or anyone else". “Our idea was to talk about this resolution we sent to the UN General Assembly with everyone, but most importantly, members of the UN Security Council. We talked about the resolution with EU officials, but obviously, there are significant differences regarding what the contents should be,” - according to Dacic. The minister, who also holds the position of the first deputy PM, said that President Boris Tadic told him "we had to send the (draft) resolution before the Albanian one that was also announced". Dacic said that it is yet to be seen whether there will be new negotiations, and believes that ethnic Albanians "would not go farther than offering an independent Kosovo with the northern (Serb) part of the region being given autonomy,", which, he explained, is unacceptable for Serbia. “That is why I believe that a solution of compromise no longer means a state model, but maybe territorial questions, but I think that right now, no one has a clear idea about that,” Dacic was quoted as saying. He noted that the highest degree of compromise suggested over the years was that Kosovo had specific relations with the rest of Serbia, and perhaps seats in some international bodies. “But nothing further than that. For example, the idea of partitioning Kosovo was never recommended by any political or state institution. It is a taboo,” said Dacic. “There should be talks on what Serbia is expected to do and whether it is possible to create certain historical agreements,” Dacic said, adding however that he did not believe this was being worked on, i.e., that the international community would be willing to participate. "There is no willingness to talk about essential issues, instead we are told 'it will be like that and no other way'. If we are told that we must accept something, then we must know what we gain by that. If it's about an agreement, then everyone must be somewhat satisfied and somewhat unhappy with it, rather than have Serbia lose everything," said Dacic. He also noted that there should be an effort to reach an agreement regarding the draft resolution sent to the UN, and that it is also important to know what the stances of Russia and China were, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, "because regardless of the UN General Assembly resolution and how many countries would recognize Kosovo, the final decision on whether Kosovo would become a UN member-state is made by the Security Council". “All the political and legal measures for our fight (for Kosovo) have not been lost,” Dacic concluded. Ivica Dacic (Beta, file)

Dačić on new coalitions, Kosovo

He said that his Socialists were ready to participate in such a coalition, if a consensus were to be reached on various issues.

Speaking about Serbia's moves regarding Kosovo, Dačić added that sending a draft resolution to the UN that would "to all intents and purposes" include a legalization of the stance that the Kosovo question is solved, "simply cannot be acceptable for Serbia neither in some sort of an agreement with the EU, or anyone else".

“Our idea was to talk about this resolution we sent to the UN General Assembly with everyone, but most importantly, members of the UN Security Council. We talked about the resolution with EU officials, but obviously, there are significant differences regarding what the contents should be,” - according to Dačić.

The minister, who also holds the position of the first deputy PM, said that President Boris Tadić told him "we had to send the (draft) resolution before the Albanian one that was also announced".

Dačić said that it is yet to be seen whether there will be new negotiations, and believes that ethnic Albanians "would not go farther than offering an independent Kosovo with the northern (Serb) part of the region being given autonomy,", which, he explained, is unacceptable for Serbia.

“That is why I believe that a solution of compromise no longer means a state model, but maybe territorial questions, but I think that right now, no one has a clear idea about that,” Dačić was quoted as saying.

He noted that the highest degree of compromise suggested over the years was that Kosovo had specific relations with the rest of Serbia, and perhaps seats in some international bodies.

“But nothing further than that. For example, the idea of partitioning Kosovo was never recommended by any political or state institution. It is a taboo,” said Dačić.

“There should be talks on what Serbia is expected to do and whether it is possible to create certain historical agreements,” Dačić said, adding however that he did not believe this was being worked on, i.e., that the international community would be willing to participate.

"There is no willingness to talk about essential issues, instead we are told 'it will be like that and no other way'. If we are told that we must accept something, then we must know what we gain by that. If it's about an agreement, then everyone must be somewhat satisfied and somewhat unhappy with it, rather than have Serbia lose everything," said Dačić.

He also noted that there should be an effort to reach an agreement regarding the draft resolution sent to the UN, and that it is also important to know what the stances of Russia and China were, as permanent members of the UN Security Council, "because regardless of the UN General Assembly resolution and how many countries would recognize Kosovo, the final decision on whether Kosovo would become a UN member-state is made by the Security Council".

“All the political and legal measures for our fight (for Kosovo) have not been lost,” Dačić concluded.