Koštunica: Serbia rejects Kosovo’s independence

Koštunica: Serbia rejects Kosovo’s independence

These countries must be aware such recognition outside the UN procedure would undermine that organization and the international legal order, Koštunica warned.

The Friday withdrawal of the latest, fifth UN draft Kosovo resolution ended “the first phase of defense of the province”, Koštunica stressed, and added that Serbia was ready for a new round of talks on Kosovo, “that must take place under the umbrella of the UN.”

The parliament is today debating a new Kosovo resolution adopted by the government Monday.

Parliamentary speaker Oliver Dulić confirmed yesterday that the government's resolution proposal has been submitted to the parliament, as has the Serbian Kosovo status negotiation team's most recent report.

Beta reports that the full title of the document is "Draft Resolution on the Necessity of a Just Solution for the Issue of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija in Accordance with International Law."

It states that Kosovo is an inalienable part of Serbia based on the constitution and international law, adding that "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia is guaranteed not only by the Serbian Constitution, but also by the UN Charter, the Helsinki Accords, and the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions, Resolution 1244 in particular."

Adding that Serbia is prepared for new negotiations on Kosovo, the draft resolution states that Serbia is ready to compromise by offering to grant the province meaningful autonomy. "New negotiations can be pursued only within UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and with a clear UN mandate," it stresses.

"The Parliament of Serbia believes that unilateral recognition of the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo would have unforeseeable consequences for regional stability."

"The government of the Republic of Serbia and all state bodies are required to react powerfully and without delay to any action or hint of an action by any international element intended as a unilateral violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Serbia."

The full text of the draft resolution is available here.