PM: Belgrade monitoring Georgia situation

PM Mirko Cvetkovic says Belgrade is following the situation in Georgia and will act in Serbia’s best interests. “The government’s position on Kosovo is well documented and it remains unchanged. We have in the past warned that recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence could create a domino effect. Sadly, that is now happening,” Cvetkovic told daily Politika. PM: Belgrade monitoring Georgia situation According to the prime minister, the situation is not expected to have a negative bearing on Serbia while Russia sticks to its previous position and maintains the support that it has given Serbia in holding on to Kosovo. Speaking of UNMIK reconfiguration, he repeated that the arrival of EULEX in Kosovo without a corresponding UN resolution or Serbia’s approval was illegal. Cvetkovic said that Serbia was not happy that EULEX had started deploying without Belgrade's participation, but, on the other hand, “it’s also clear to us that it does no good to create obstruction just for obstruction’s sake.“ “We have big interests in Kosovo, we have people living there, and we expect some more to come back, and we have to improve life in Kosovo for all those citizens that we’re responsible for. That’s why we have to take part in this UNMIK reconfiguration, and the deployment of EULEX, because we want to be part of a common undertaking,“ said the prime minister. He said that up to this point in the EULEX deployment, the Serbian side had not been sufficiently involved, and that what contact there had been was of a “more technical“ nature. Cvetkovic said that no-one in the EU had conditioned Serbia’s European integration on recognition of Kosovo independence, nor did he expect Serbia to receive such an ultimatum, as Kosovo and EU integration were being treated as two separate issues. The prime minister added that in the event of recognition of Kosovo being a condition for EU entry, the position of the government and the leadership was to choose Kosovo. Mirko Cvetkovic (FoNet, archive) "Preparations for Kosovo recognition" Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vice President Slobodan Samardzic assessed on Thursday that the statement made by Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, according to which Serbia should take part in UNMIK's reconfiguration, was aimed at “preparing the citizens for the fact that Serbia was slowly recognizing Kosovo-Metohija independence”. “Prime Minister Cvetkovic should know that, according to the Ahtisaari plan, UNMIK should be replaced by the EULEX mission that is supposed to realize an independent Kosovo, which means that Serbia's participation in UNMIK's reconfiguration would also represent Serbia's participation in the creation of an independent Kosovo," Samardzic assessed. In a statement for Tanjug he underlined that Serbia should continue its policy of resistance and persist in opposing UNMIK's reconfiguration and deployment of the illegal EULEX mission in Kosovo. Samardzic is "particularly concerned over Cvetkovic's stand that Serbia would back the UN Security Council resolution on EULEX deployment in Kosovo".

PM: Belgrade monitoring Georgia situation

According to the prime minister, the situation is not expected to have a negative bearing on Serbia while Russia sticks to its previous position and maintains the support that it has given Serbia in holding on to Kosovo.

Speaking of UNMIK reconfiguration, he repeated that the arrival of EULEX in Kosovo without a corresponding UN resolution or Serbia’s approval was illegal.

Cvetković said that Serbia was not happy that EULEX had started deploying without Belgrade's participation, but, on the other hand, “it’s also clear to us that it does no good to create obstruction just for obstruction’s sake.“

“We have big interests in Kosovo, we have people living there, and we expect some more to come back, and we have to improve life in Kosovo for all those citizens that we’re responsible for. That’s why we have to take part in this UNMIK reconfiguration, and the deployment of EULEX, because we want to be part of a common undertaking,“ said the prime minister.

He said that up to this point in the EULEX deployment, the Serbian side had not been sufficiently involved, and that what contact there had been was of a “more technical“ nature.

Cvetković said that no-one in the EU had conditioned Serbia’s European integration on recognition of Kosovo independence, nor did he expect Serbia to receive such an ultimatum, as Kosovo and EU integration were being treated as two separate issues.

The prime minister added that in the event of recognition of Kosovo being a condition for EU entry, the position of the government and the leadership was to choose Kosovo.

"Preparations for Kosovo recognition"

Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vice President Slobodan Samardžić assessed on Thursday that the statement made by Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, according to which Serbia should take part in UNMIK's reconfiguration, was aimed at “preparing the citizens for the fact that Serbia was slowly recognizing Kosovo-Metohija independence”.

“Prime Minister Cvetković should know that, according to the Ahtisaari plan, UNMIK should be replaced by the EULEX mission that is supposed to realize an independent Kosovo, which means that Serbia's participation in UNMIK's reconfiguration would also represent Serbia's participation in the creation of an independent Kosovo," Samardžić assessed.

In a statement for Tanjug he underlined that Serbia should continue its policy of resistance and persist in opposing UNMIK's reconfiguration and deployment of the illegal EULEX mission in Kosovo.

Samardžić is "particularly concerned over Cvetković's stand that Serbia would back the UN Security Council resolution on EULEX deployment in Kosovo".