Tadić, Koštunica sending out conflicting SAA signals

President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica are at loggerheads over the signing of the SAA. While Tadic says that Serbia is on the brink of signing, Kostunica says that the EU must choose between signing and sending an EU mission to Kosovo. Tadic, Kostunica sending out conflicting SAA signals The prime minister has sent another message calling on the EU to give up on “sending an illegal mission” to Kosovo and to refrain from violating Serbia’s territorial integrity. “It’s certain that on January 28, either the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) will be signed or the EU will decide to break Serbia up by sending its mission. The two don’t go together, and the EU has to make up its mind,” he warned. He said that parliament’s Resolution on Kosovo, passed with the support of 220 MPs, confirmed that “an EU decision to send a mission to implement the Ahtisaari Plan would be an act jeopardizing Serbia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order.” Meanwhile, Tadic has said that Serbia is on the brink of signing the agreement, which would be of considerable economic advantage to Serbia. The president told the Srna agency that the government had authorized its deputy prime minister to sign the SAA, adding that it was important for Serbia to do all it could to strengthen its position and open new economic opportunities for all citizens. “Only such a strong, stable Serbia can defend all its national interests,” he stressed. Tadic said Serbia would never accept Kosovo independence, and would continue to defend its province with negotiation and diplomacy, underlining that there must not be any surrender. Vojislav Kostunica, Boris Tadic (FoNet, archive) Samardzic: Serbia should not sign SAA yet Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic does not believe Serbia should sign the SAA yet because of Kosovo. Speaking to B92’s Poligraf, Samardzic said that Serbia could not sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU while the agreement was, as he put it, designed for a declaration of Kosovo independence. He explained that there would be no dramatic repercussions if Serbia failed to sign on January 28, as the agreement is implemented over the course of ten years. “When that agreement resolves such a thorny subject, Serbia says: make up your minds, we won’t do it, you decide, but as far as signing is concerned, when you clear up things that you’ve complicated, then we’ll sign,” said the minister. He reiterated that Serbia opposed an EU mission being sent to the province without a UN resolution, as he believed that the aim of such a mission would be to implement the Ahtisaari Plan. Samardzic said that Serbia was willing to sign the SAA, provided that, in so doing, the country’s sovereignty over Kosovo would not be jeopardized. The minister said that the government would take the final decision. “I have said what the parameters are, and if they are offered, the government will then decide,” he said. Speaking of the possible arrival of an EU mission without a Security Council resolution, he warned that Serbia could not accept such a decision and that it would, in such a scenario, intensify its presence in the province by organizing the lives of loyal citizens. “We have nothing against the composition of such a mission or with the fact that it’s a European mission… What we oppose is a European mission failing to carry out European policies in Kosovo, which is sadly the case as it is carrying out American policies there,” Samardzic claimed. “Once it starts carrying out European policies, if it is ultimately formed, we’ll talk with them, as it is in the spirit of a European compromise solution, which is what has been lacking so far,” the minister continued. He warned that, in the event of the EU participating in the “theft of Kosovo”, Serbia would have to reconsider her policies and relations with the Union's 27 member-states.

Tadić, Koštunica sending out conflicting SAA signals

The prime minister has sent another message calling on the EU to give up on “sending an illegal mission” to Kosovo and to refrain from violating Serbia’s territorial integrity. “It’s certain that on January 28, either the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) will be signed or the EU will decide to break Serbia up by sending its mission. The two don’t go together, and the EU has to make up its mind,” he warned.

He said that parliament’s Resolution on Kosovo, passed with the support of 220 MPs, confirmed that “an EU decision to send a mission to implement the Ahtisaari Plan would be an act jeopardizing Serbia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order.”

Meanwhile, Tadić has said that Serbia is on the brink of signing the agreement, which would be of considerable economic advantage to Serbia.

The president told the Srna agency that the government had authorized its deputy prime minister to sign the SAA, adding that it was important for Serbia to do all it could to strengthen its position and open new economic opportunities for all citizens.

“Only such a strong, stable Serbia can defend all its national interests,” he stressed.

Tadić said Serbia would never accept Kosovo independence, and would continue to defend its province with negotiation and diplomacy, underlining that there must not be any surrender.

Samardžić: Serbia should not sign SAA yet

Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić does not believe Serbia should sign the SAA yet because of Kosovo.

Speaking to B92’s Poligraf, Samardžić said that Serbia could not sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU while the agreement was, as he put it, designed for a declaration of Kosovo independence.

He explained that there would be no dramatic repercussions if Serbia failed to sign on January 28, as the agreement is implemented over the course of ten years.

“When that agreement resolves such a thorny subject, Serbia says: make up your minds, we won’t do it, you decide, but as far as signing is concerned, when you clear up things that you’ve complicated, then we’ll sign,” said the minister.

He reiterated that Serbia opposed an EU mission being sent to the province without a UN resolution, as he believed that the aim of such a mission would be to implement the Ahtisaari Plan.

Samardžić said that Serbia was willing to sign the SAA, provided that, in so doing, the country’s sovereignty over Kosovo would not be jeopardized.

The minister said that the government would take the final decision. “I have said what the parameters are, and if they are offered, the government will then decide,” he said.

Speaking of the possible arrival of an EU mission without a Security Council resolution, he warned that Serbia could not accept such a decision and that it would, in such a scenario, intensify its presence in the province by organizing the lives of loyal citizens.

“We have nothing against the composition of such a mission or with the fact that it’s a European mission… What we oppose is a European mission failing to carry out European policies in Kosovo, which is sadly the case as it is carrying out American policies there,” Samardžić claimed.

“Once it starts carrying out European policies, if it is ultimately formed, we’ll talk with them, as it is in the spirit of a European compromise solution, which is what has been lacking so far,” the minister continued.

He warned that, in the event of the EU participating in the “theft of Kosovo”, Serbia would have to reconsider her policies and relations with the Union's 27 member-states.