Serbia sends "strongly worded demarche" to Austria

Official Belgrade reacted Wednesday afternoon to the Austrian chancellor's Kosovo comments. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic handed what is described as "a strongly worded demarche," following Alfred Gusenbauer's statement that his country will be among those to lead the way in reaction to possible declaration of unilateral independence by the Kosovo Albanians. Serbia sends "strongly worded demarche" to Austria "The Republic of Serbia strongly opposes such statements and considers that the process of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija should be continued under UN Security Council auspices," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Jeremic also highlighted the importance of preserving Serbia's territorial integrity, and underlined that such statements greatly damage bilateral relations between Austria and Serbia, the statement said. In an interview published Wednesday Gusenbauer told the Austria Press Agency that the EU must show it can "solve problems at home in Europe,", describing Kosovo as the "last big unsolved issue of the 20th century." EU leaders have already agreed "to see the final solution on the issue of Kosovo's status and following consequences as a European challenge," he noted. "We will not sit in the first rows and look at what others are doing," Gusenbauer said about Vienna's reaction to a unilateral declaration of the province's independence. He added that Austria will "certainly be among those who will have a clear attitude on the issue and who will show the way forward." Gusenbauer also called on Pristina and Belgrade to act responsibly to avoid violence in the coming weeks when Kosovo is expected to declare independence unilaterally, and to cooperate with the EU to find a solution on the province's status. Protection for the Serbs in the majority ethnic-Albanian province was now a key issue, he said. The Austrian chancellor also argued that to condition a yet-to-be-signed Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Serbia, considered the first step towards its integration into the bloc, on Belgrade's delivery of war crimes suspects wanted by the Hague Tribunal was "not fair." "One can not expect Belgrade to deliver a concrete result if it can't be delivered," he said.

Serbia sends "strongly worded demarche" to Austria

"The Republic of Serbia strongly opposes such statements and considers that the process of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija should be continued under UN Security Council auspices," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Jeremić also highlighted the importance of preserving Serbia's territorial integrity, and underlined that such statements greatly damage bilateral relations between Austria and Serbia, the statement said.

In an interview published Wednesday Gusenbauer told the Austria Press Agency that the EU must show it can "solve problems at home in Europe,", describing Kosovo as the "last big unsolved issue of the 20th century."

EU leaders have already agreed "to see the final solution on the issue of Kosovo's status and following consequences as a European challenge," he noted.

"We will not sit in the first rows and look at what others are doing," Gusenbauer said about Vienna's reaction to a unilateral declaration of the province's independence.

He added that Austria will "certainly be among those who will have a clear attitude on the issue and who will show the way forward."

Gusenbauer also called on Priština and Belgrade to act responsibly to avoid violence in the coming weeks when Kosovo is expected to declare independence unilaterally, and to cooperate with the EU to find a solution on the province's status.

Protection for the Serbs in the majority ethnic-Albanian province was now a key issue, he said.

The Austrian chancellor also argued that to condition a yet-to-be-signed Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between the EU and Serbia, considered the first step towards its integration into the bloc, on Belgrade's delivery of war crimes suspects wanted by the Hague Tribunal was "not fair."

"One can not expect Belgrade to deliver a concrete result if it can't be delivered," he said.