Jeremić: Indonesia won't recognize Kosovo

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic is continuing his Far East tour today; AP's controversial report refuted. After securing a pledge from Vietnam yesterday, that this country would not recognize Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independnce, Jeremic was in Indonesia Thursday. Jeremic: Indonesia won't recognize Kosovo Jakarta does not support the unilateral declaration and believes that a solution for the future status of the province should be reached through negotiations and respecting international law, Jeremic told Tanjug news agency. After his meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Noer Hasan Wirajuda and Parliament Speaker Agung Laksono in Jakarta, Jeremic said that Indonesia is "one of the key countries in our strategy to try and limit the number of countries deciding to unilaterally recognize Kosovo and Metohija." Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim state. "It is of great importance that we agreed today that the Kosovo problem is not a religious but purely an ethnic and political issue," said Jeremic. "Indonesia's support is also very important because we plan to launch an initiative to seek, through the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice's opinion on the legality of the unilateral declaration of independence," said Jeremic, DS, adding that Belgrade had received Indonesia's support on the issue. Jeremic also said that he had discussed with Indonesia's officials concerning the bilateral cooperation of the two countries, prospects of increase of trade, and expanding economic relations. Also today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denied an Associated Press report from Jeremic's news conference in Jakarta. The news agency said the foreign minister described a proposal for cooperation the Ministry for Kosovo recently presented to UNMIK, as entailing partitioning of the province. Jeremic in fact told journalists that Serbia wants to cooperate with UNMIK, whose presence is defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and that the proposal "constitutes an attempt to find interim modalities for cooperation with UNMIK in the difficult new situation, created by the illegal declaration of independence by the interim authorities in Pristina," the ministry clarified in a statement released this afternoon. "Serbia is not advocating a partition of Kosovo and remains committed to preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement says. "Serbia wants to find ways of cooperation in the new situation in order to reduce tensions in its southern province and to avert any conflicts undermining security, such as have occurred in the past weeks," Jeremic was quoted. The MFA also urged Serbian and foreign media "to report accurately and reliably" Jeremic's comments made in Jakarta. Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug)

Jeremić: Indonesia won't recognize Kosovo

Jakarta does not support the unilateral declaration and believes that a solution for the future status of the province should be reached through negotiations and respecting international law, Jeremić told Tanjug news agency.

After his meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Noer Hasan Wirajuda and Parliament Speaker Agung Laksono in Jakarta, Jeremić said that Indonesia is "one of the key countries in our strategy to try and limit the number of countries deciding to unilaterally recognize Kosovo and Metohija."

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim state.

"It is of great importance that we agreed today that the Kosovo problem is not a religious but purely an ethnic and political issue," said Jeremić.

"Indonesia's support is also very important because we plan to launch an initiative to seek, through the UN General Assembly, the International Court of Justice's opinion on the legality of the unilateral declaration of independence," said Jeremić, DS, adding that Belgrade had received Indonesia's support on the issue.

Jeremić also said that he had discussed with Indonesia's officials concerning the bilateral cooperation of the two countries, prospects of increase of trade, and expanding economic relations.

Also today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denied an Associated Press report from Jeremić's news conference in Jakarta.

The news agency said the foreign minister described a proposal for cooperation the Ministry for Kosovo recently presented to UNMIK, as entailing partitioning of the province.

Jeremić in fact told journalists that Serbia wants to cooperate with UNMIK, whose presence is defined by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and that the proposal "constitutes an attempt to find interim modalities for cooperation with UNMIK in the difficult new situation, created by the illegal declaration of independence by the interim authorities in Priština," the ministry clarified in a statement released this afternoon.

"Serbia is not advocating a partition of Kosovo and remains committed to preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement says.

"Serbia wants to find ways of cooperation in the new situation in order to reduce tensions in its southern province and to avert any conflicts undermining security, such as have occurred in the past weeks," Jeremić was quoted.

The MFA also urged Serbian and foreign media "to report accurately and reliably" Jeremić's comments made in Jakarta.