"Serbia shooting herself in foot"

Serbia can’t expect support from EU countries if Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica opposes the signing of the SAA, says former Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic. The former Foreign Minister and Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe official told Radio B92’s Kaziprst program that Holland had two key reasons for opposing the signing of the EU’s Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). "Serbia shooting herself in foot" The first was inadequate cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and the second was the political situation, that could, he said, be tackled. “The factor we can exert influence on, by establishing a level of political unity in the country, is the signing of that agreement. As I said, it is very hard to put pressure on Holland, be it by our friends in the EU, or by our diplomats or our government’s representatives, when the prime minister is sending a message that he doesn’t want to sign that agreement, and believes that that agreement will deprive us of Kosovo,” said Svilanovic. “In that case, the Dutch minister will say – wait, why do you want me to go against the position of my parliament to help a country whose prime minister is constantly sending me messages, right now during the parliamentary elections, that he doesn’t want to sign, and that he considers it to be a hostile gesture towards his country,” he explained. The former foreign minister added that since 2002, Serbia had signed several international agreements where UNMIK Kosovo and Serbia had been separate signatories. “I’m talking about CEFTA that was signed by Kostunica, with Kosovo Prime Minister Ceku standing right next to him. He didn’t sign the agreement, but he was there. Secondly, the agreement on cooperation in the field of energy, which was signed by Serbia and UNMIK Kosovo separately. Energy Minister Aleksandar Popovic must know that. There’s no way that he doesn’t know that Kosovo is currently presiding over the cooperation process in the energy field. Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic took part in the preparation of that agreement, so it isn’t true that those people don’t know about that,” claimed Svilanovic. He stated that the story that signing the SAA with the EU meant recognizing Kosovo independence was a sham. That was confirmed by the fact that some EU member states had not and were not planning to recognize Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration.

"Serbia shooting herself in foot"

The first was inadequate cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, and the second was the political situation, that could, he said, be tackled.

“The factor we can exert influence on, by establishing a level of political unity in the country, is the signing of that agreement. As I said, it is very hard to put pressure on Holland, be it by our friends in the EU, or by our diplomats or our government’s representatives, when the prime minister is sending a message that he doesn’t want to sign that agreement, and believes that that agreement will deprive us of Kosovo,” said Svilanović.

“In that case, the Dutch minister will say – wait, why do you want me to go against the position of my parliament to help a country whose prime minister is constantly sending me messages, right now during the parliamentary elections, that he doesn’t want to sign, and that he considers it to be a hostile gesture towards his country,” he explained.

The former foreign minister added that since 2002, Serbia had signed several international agreements where UNMIK Kosovo and Serbia had been separate signatories.

“I’m talking about CEFTA that was signed by Koštunica, with Kosovo Prime Minister Ceku standing right next to him. He didn’t sign the agreement, but he was there. Secondly, the agreement on cooperation in the field of energy, which was signed by Serbia and UNMIK Kosovo separately. Energy Minister Aleksandar Popović must know that. There’s no way that he doesn’t know that Kosovo is currently presiding over the cooperation process in the energy field. Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić took part in the preparation of that agreement, so it isn’t true that those people don’t know about that,” claimed Svilanović.

He stated that the story that signing the SAA with the EU meant recognizing Kosovo independence was a sham. That was confirmed by the fact that some EU member states had not and were not planning to recognize Kosovo’s unilateral independence declaration.