“ICJ opinion could be given in November”

According to daily Politika, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) could give its opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s independence in November. The daily’s sources say that the decision will be postponed to a later date because the international community expects Serbia to arrested and extradite war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic first. “ICJ opinion could be given in November” Court officials said that a date for the decision is not known and that all reports on a known date are pure speculation. According to political analyst Aleksandar Fatic, the postponement announcement is confirmation of the information that arrived in early 2010 that this would be a year in which the international community would use various forms of pressure on Serbia to insist on a final status for Kosovo. “Since the dominant countries of the international community are not even sure what the court will say, they do not want any added complications for their already existing strategy of putting pressure on Serbia. In this way, it is easiest for the international community ro have Serbia recognize Kosovo’s independence in some way, and it should be expected that this year, the pressure will be very sharp, whether it relates to conditioning entrance into the EU with Kosovo, or conflicts regarding NATO membership or the status of the Republic of Srpska,” Fatic said. Forum for Ethnic Relations Director Dusan Janjic said that regardless of the ICJ’s decision, Serbia and Pristina will not change their stances. “Delaying the answer is good for Belgrade too, because that gives Belgrade an excuse for another six months in the domestic political scene, because they are waiting on the decision from the court, and in that way, Kosovo will not be a daily political question. But that works for the international community as well,” he said. Unlike Fatic and Janjic, analyst Predrag Simic said that an earlier decision by the court is more advantageous for the countries of the region and the international community. “We have already seen how much uncertainty this unresolved question brings in relations between neighbors, and especially within regional cooperation. The sooner Kosovo is put into a legal framework, the sooner Serbia and the rest of the regional countries will be able to set their positions,” he said. “There needs to be serious discussions on the partition of Kosovo, because we are behind the Kosovo Albanians, since they have already started the project for the reintegration of northern Kosovo, and we have not decided yet if we want to separate northern Kosovo,” Fatic said, adding that Belgrade’s policies are very indecisive in relation to Kosovo. Janjic said that Belgrade must reevaluate its policy of boycotts because it can potentially miss out on very important conferences in Madrid and Sarajevo this year, adding that Serbia must find a model for participation in regional conferences. The International Court of Justice in The Hague (FoNet archive)

“ICJ opinion could be given in November”

Court officials said that a date for the decision is not known and that all reports on a known date are pure speculation.

According to political analyst Aleksandar Fatić, the postponement announcement is confirmation of the information that arrived in early 2010 that this would be a year in which the international community would use various forms of pressure on Serbia to insist on a final status for Kosovo.

“Since the dominant countries of the international community are not even sure what the court will say, they do not want any added complications for their already existing strategy of putting pressure on Serbia. In this way, it is easiest for the international community ro have Serbia recognize Kosovo’s independence in some way, and it should be expected that this year, the pressure will be very sharp, whether it relates to conditioning entrance into the EU with Kosovo, or conflicts regarding NATO membership or the status of the Republic of Srpska,” Fatić said.

Forum for Ethnic Relations Director Dušan Janjić said that regardless of the ICJ’s decision, Serbia and Priština will not change their stances.

“Delaying the answer is good for Belgrade too, because that gives Belgrade an excuse for another six months in the domestic political scene, because they are waiting on the decision from the court, and in that way, Kosovo will not be a daily political question. But that works for the international community as well,” he said.

Unlike Fatić and Janjić, analyst Predrag Simić said that an earlier decision by the court is more advantageous for the countries of the region and the international community.

“We have already seen how much uncertainty this unresolved question brings in relations between neighbors, and especially within regional cooperation. The sooner Kosovo is put into a legal framework, the sooner Serbia and the rest of the regional countries will be able to set their positions,” he said.

“There needs to be serious discussions on the partition of Kosovo, because we are behind the Kosovo Albanians, since they have already started the project for the reintegration of northern Kosovo, and we have not decided yet if we want to separate northern Kosovo,” Fatić said, adding that Belgrade’s policies are very indecisive in relation to Kosovo.

Janjić said that Belgrade must reevaluate its policy of boycotts because it can potentially miss out on very important conferences in Madrid and Sarajevo this year, adding that Serbia must find a model for participation in regional conferences.