Tadić urges resumption of negotiations

President Boris Tadic has called on states that have recognized Kosovo to reconsider their decision, and on the UN to commit to relaunching talks. Tadic told a closed door session of the UN Security Council in New York that he was concerned by the lack of a UN reaction in the aftermath of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence. Tadic urges resumption of negotiations The session was closed to the public because of opposition from a number of members to Hashim Thaci addressing them in the capacity of Kosovo prime minister. For this reason Thaci, in line with the Security Council’s Code of Procedure, was allowed to attend the session as a private entity. The Kosovo prime minister told the Council that Kosovo faced a “major“ effort to ensure the rights of all citizens, which, as he put it, “particularly applies to minority communities that do not support independence.“ In his speech to Security Council members, Tadic said that the actions of the 35 countries that had supported Kosovo independence had severely dented the credibility of the UN. The president warned that unless a compromise solution was found at new talks, Kosovo would become a precedent that would have negative consequences for the international community. “As a president of Serbia, I claim that my country shall never recognize Kosovo's independence. This is why it is necessary to seek a new, stable solution, which would improve the extremely bad situation that was caused by the unilateral decision of the temporary Kosovo institutions. Serbia continues to be convinced that only with a continuation of negotiations can we reach a mutually acceptable and sustainable solution that will bring lasting peace to all the people in the Balkans. The UN Security Council is the only institution that can reach a legally valid decision,“ he underlined. Tadic added that the Kosovo Serbs did not trust the Pristina authorities, nor were they ready to cooperate with the EULEX mission until the mission received a Security Council mandate. The president warned of the, as he put it, unjust acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj, and said that he expected the Hague Tribunal to appeal against the ruling. “Ramush Haradinaj will not return to Kosovo as an ordinary citizen, but rather as one which has the intention of taking part in the province's political life and creating the reality our fellow-men there. This disputable verdict coincides with the testimony of former ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte, who in her book speaks about the trade of the organs taken out from the bodies of kidnapped Serbs. This is still another case which The Hague Tribunal should shed light on,“ he pointed out. Serbia’s basic position was that the EULEX mission was operating outwith the framework of Resolution 1244, and contrary to the principles of the UN Charter, said Tadic. “No one has the right to obstruct Serbia in its legitimate and peaceful defense of the country's integrity, or to jeopardize the realization of our other legitimate goal - membership in the European Union. We will, therefore, be ready to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union as soon as it is offered to us, and thus achieve the soonest possible status of an official candidate for membership,“ the president explained. He said that it was of the utmost importance for local elections to be held in Kosovo on May 11 in order for citizens to be able to choose their own representatives. Boris Tadic at the UN Monday (FoNet)

Tadić urges resumption of negotiations

The session was closed to the public because of opposition from a number of members to Hashim Thaci addressing them in the capacity of Kosovo prime minister.

For this reason Thaci, in line with the Security Council’s Code of Procedure, was allowed to attend the session as a private entity.

The Kosovo prime minister told the Council that Kosovo faced a “major“ effort to ensure the rights of all citizens, which, as he put it, “particularly applies to minority communities that do not support independence.“

In his speech to Security Council members, Tadić said that the actions of the 35 countries that had supported Kosovo independence had severely dented the credibility of the UN.

The president warned that unless a compromise solution was found at new talks, Kosovo would become a precedent that would have negative consequences for the international community.

“As a president of Serbia, I claim that my country shall never recognize Kosovo's independence. This is why it is necessary to seek a new, stable solution, which would improve the extremely bad situation that was caused by the unilateral decision of the temporary Kosovo institutions. Serbia continues to be convinced that only with a continuation of negotiations can we reach a mutually acceptable and sustainable solution that will bring lasting peace to all the people in the Balkans. The UN Security Council is the only institution that can reach a legally valid decision,“ he underlined.

Tadić added that the Kosovo Serbs did not trust the Priština authorities, nor were they ready to cooperate with the EULEX mission until the mission received a Security Council mandate.

The president warned of the, as he put it, unjust acquittal of Ramush Haradinaj, and said that he expected the Hague Tribunal to appeal against the ruling.

“Ramush Haradinaj will not return to Kosovo as an ordinary citizen, but rather as one which has the intention of taking part in the province's political life and creating the reality our fellow-men there. This disputable verdict coincides with the testimony of former ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte, who in her book speaks about the trade of the organs taken out from the bodies of kidnapped Serbs. This is still another case which The Hague Tribunal should shed light on,“ he pointed out.

Serbia’s basic position was that the EULEX mission was operating outwith the framework of Resolution 1244, and contrary to the principles of the UN Charter, said Tadić.

“No one has the right to obstruct Serbia in its legitimate and peaceful defense of the country's integrity, or to jeopardize the realization of our other legitimate goal - membership in the European Union. We will, therefore, be ready to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union as soon as it is offered to us, and thus achieve the soonest possible status of an official candidate for membership,“ the president explained.

He said that it was of the utmost importance for local elections to be held in Kosovo on May 11 in order for citizens to be able to choose their own representatives.