Status of Serbs in Kosovo "unacceptable"

Status of Serbs in Kosovo "unacceptable"

It is "far below the Council of Europe (CoE) standards in terms of respect for human rights," Dacic said during the 125th session of the Committee of Ministers in Brussels entitled, "Shared Responsibility for Democratic Security in Europe."

He underscored that Serbia supports every CoE effort aimed at improvement of CoE standards in Kosovo and Metohija to the benefit of all people living there which is in keeping with the legally binding international documents, primarily UNSC Resolution 1244.

Serbia will continue acting as a constructive partner in defining such efforts with full respect for the status neutral approach adopted within CoE, Dacic said.

During the meeting, Dacic wished success to Bosnia-Herzegovina during its chairmanship mandate in the Committee of Ministers which the country is to take over from Belgium on Tuesday, adding that Bosnia "can count on Serbia's support and assistance."

Serbia regards with great interest and fondness the chairmanship in the Committee of CoE Ministers by a country from the region as will be the case in the next six months, Dacic said.

Terrorism

Serbia strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and all forms of extremism and radicalism, Ivica Dacic told the meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

"Serbia is aware that the complexity of these phenomena requires coordinated action in the broader international arena and dealing with all their aspects with the aim of ensuring a comprehensive response," he said.

The problem of terrorism and other forms of violent extremism knows no borders and it is impossible to resolve it in a strictly national framework, Dacic said.

According to the Serbian minister, "the phenomena of xenophobia, populism and chauvinism are serious issues facing the world today, and Europe is not spared from this, either."

“Unfortunately, the terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen, and in Zvornik and Kumanovo, have shown us the brutal form of their manifestation in the worst possible way, and have served as a warning that these phenomena should be resolutely confronted,” said Dacic.