"Priština getting nervous over ICJ"

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic says it is more than obvious that Pristina (Kosovo Albanian government) is getting increasingly nervous. This is caused, the minister told Belgrade daily Politika, by the expected result of the process before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). "Pristina getting nervous over ICJ" The UN top court is considering whether the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence, made two years ago, was in accordance with international law. “The most important thing is to keep our composure and not react thoughtlessly to attempted provocation,” Jeremic said, commenting on the recent incidents when Serbs and high state officials in Kosovo were arrested and harassed in the province. According to him, what Serbia can do diplomatically is to protest strongly in a relevant international forum each time UNSCR 1244 is violated. The minister also said that, considering that the EU had made its position known explicitly, there is no danger of an attempted implementation of the International Civilian Office (ICO) plan to integrate northern Kosovo, “since KFOR is not behind it either”. “We will continue with our close cooperation with international organizations that operate in Kosovo in line with UN Security Council decisions. The International Civilian Office is not one of them,” said Jeremic. He added that Serbia is now “most likely only a few months away from the ICJ opinion” in the Kosovo case. “We have reason to be optimistic, and when the position has been announced, I think that a quality, a new reality will open up, in the political sense. I believe that after that, the number of countries that are recognizing Kosovo will not be increasing.” According to Jeremic, after the ICJ ruling, it will be “relatively easy” to prevent any possible application of Kosovo for membership in international organizations. “It will have become obvious that a solution acceptable to all sides must be found,” said the minister. Jeremic also stated that Serbia has the goal of using the court’s opinion, along with a degree of diplomatic effort, to achieve creating such circumstances where it will become obvious that there is no alternative to continued dialog. Vuk Jeremic (Beta, file)

"Priština getting nervous over ICJ"

The UN top court is considering whether the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of independence, made two years ago, was in accordance with international law.

“The most important thing is to keep our composure and not react thoughtlessly to attempted provocation,” Jeremić said, commenting on the recent incidents when Serbs and high state officials in Kosovo were arrested and harassed in the province.

According to him, what Serbia can do diplomatically is to protest strongly in a relevant international forum each time UNSCR 1244 is violated.

The minister also said that, considering that the EU had made its position known explicitly, there is no danger of an attempted implementation of the International Civilian Office (ICO) plan to integrate northern Kosovo, “since KFOR is not behind it either”.

“We will continue with our close cooperation with international organizations that operate in Kosovo in line with UN Security Council decisions. The International Civilian Office is not one of them,” said Jeremić.

He added that Serbia is now “most likely only a few months away from the ICJ opinion” in the Kosovo case.

“We have reason to be optimistic, and when the position has been announced, I think that a quality, a new reality will open up, in the political sense. I believe that after that, the number of countries that are recognizing Kosovo will not be increasing.”

According to Jeremić, after the ICJ ruling, it will be “relatively easy” to prevent any possible application of Kosovo for membership in international organizations.

“It will have become obvious that a solution acceptable to all sides must be found,” said the minister.

Jeremić also stated that Serbia has the goal of using the court’s opinion, along with a degree of diplomatic effort, to achieve creating such circumstances where it will become obvious that there is no alternative to continued dialog.