"Dirty money, blackmail, pressure to recognize Kosovo"

Serbian FM Vuk Jeremic stated on Thursday that African countries which have not recognized Kosovo are still subject to strong pressure to change their stand. A combination of pressure, blackmails and dirty money induced a part of African countries to change their stand, although they had been refusing to recognize an attempted secession of a part of a sovereign state's territory for a long time, Jeremic stated after several bilateral meetings held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. "Dirty money, blackmail, pressure to recognize Kosovo" The Serbian chief of diplomacy is attending the African Union (AU) Summit there. In an interview for Tanjug, Jeremic said that only a small number of countries changed their stand on the issue of Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence and that a considerable number of countries in Africa still do not recognize Kosovo. Immense efforts and high sums of money were invested in Kosovo's secession from Serbia, Jeremic noted and added that this continues to be a matter that bothers many international factors. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence four years ago, but Serbia rejected the move as illegal. "We have no other alternative save for using all available funds and resources with a view to remaining politically and diplomatically engaged, together with AU members and other world countries, in order to keep the level of Kosovo's recognition low," Jeremic stated. He underscored that one important topic discussed with highest representatives of African countries referred to economic cooperation as a field for which, as he said, new possibilities have started opening after the recent ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement. At the moment when the world is going through a crisis and everyone is looking for new markets, Serbian companies can make use of political relations with African countries to realize the potentials, Jeremic stated and recalled that 1.000 tractors would be exported to Ethiopia during 2012. The Serbian minister conferred with over 15 foreign ministers from Africa and representatives of countries attending the Summit as observers. Out of 54 AU member states with which Serbia fosters diplomatic relations, 16 countries have recognized Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, and 38 have not done that. The Serbian foreign minister will also have bilateral meetings in the Ethiopian capital on Friday, when preliminary meetings of African foreign ministers ahead of the 18th AU Summit are due to finish. The topic of the forthcoming AU Summit will be "Boost Inter-African Trade". Besides the Serbian delegation, which has an observer status in the organization, the AU Summit will be attended by senior officials of a number of European states. Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

"Dirty money, blackmail, pressure to recognize Kosovo"

The Serbian chief of diplomacy is attending the African Union (AU) Summit there.

In an interview for Tanjug, Jeremić said that only a small number of countries changed their stand on the issue of Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence and that a considerable number of countries in Africa still do not recognize Kosovo.

Immense efforts and high sums of money were invested in Kosovo's secession from Serbia, Jeremić noted and added that this continues to be a matter that bothers many international factors.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence four years ago, but Serbia rejected the move as illegal.

"We have no other alternative save for using all available funds and resources with a view to remaining politically and diplomatically engaged, together with AU members and other world countries, in order to keep the level of Kosovo's recognition low," Jeremić stated.

He underscored that one important topic discussed with highest representatives of African countries referred to economic cooperation as a field for which, as he said, new possibilities have started opening after the recent ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement.

At the moment when the world is going through a crisis and everyone is looking for new markets, Serbian companies can make use of political relations with African countries to realize the potentials, Jeremić stated and recalled that 1.000 tractors would be exported to Ethiopia during 2012.

The Serbian minister conferred with over 15 foreign ministers from Africa and representatives of countries attending the Summit as observers.

Out of 54 AU member states with which Serbia fosters diplomatic relations, 16 countries have recognized Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, and 38 have not done that.

The Serbian foreign minister will also have bilateral meetings in the Ethiopian capital on Friday, when preliminary meetings of African foreign ministers ahead of the 18th AU Summit are due to finish.

The topic of the forthcoming AU Summit will be "Boost Inter-African Trade". Besides the Serbian delegation, which has an observer status in the organization, the AU Summit will be attended by senior officials of a number of European states.