Spain, Mali do not back Pristina's UNESCO bid

Spain, Mali do not back Pristina's UNESCO bid

The Serbian foreign minister previously met with Spain's President of the Senate Pio Garcia-Escudero and Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, the Serbian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

After the meetings, Dacic said that Spain was "a friendly country that fully understands the issues and problems of territorial integrity and separatism - the talks once again confirmed our great commitment to the principles of international law."

He added that Spain - one of five EU countries that does not recognize ethnic Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence of Serbia's province - "reiterated that it will not change its stance on Kosovo and Metohija, that is committed to Serbia's European integration, and that together we are preparing for the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Serbia and Spain, which will take place next year."

Dacic, who is also taking part in a high-level meeting of a committee of the UN Security Council on combating terrorism and stopping the flow of mercenaries, said he is scheduled to meet other Spanish ministers as well.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali Abdoulaye Diop also "firmly reiterated that his country will not change its stance on Kosovo," Dacic stressed.

During the past years, he noted, "there have been various media report and stories also in Pristina about the position of Mali when it comes to Kosovo."