Tadić: We'll never accept Kosovo independence

A UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo is taking place in New York. The session, set to discuss the reports on the progress made in the province submitted by both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his representative to Kosovo, UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker, will be open to the public during the address of President Boris Tadic, after which the ambassadors will continue their debate behind closed doors. Tadic: We'll never accept Kosovo independence "Serbia will never recognize Kosovo's independence," the president told the Security Council as he began his address. He added that Belgrade will preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty "using all democratic means, legal arguments and diplomacy, and will not resort to war and violence." The president also urged the council to make a decision to continue negotiations over the status of Serbia's southern province. "No one has the right to destabilize Serbia and the Balkans will hasty and unilateral decisions about the future status of Kosovo, since they would have unforeseeable consequences for other regions with problems stemming from ethnic separatism," the agencies quoted Tadic as saying. He went on to say that in the past two years, Serbia has put forward a series of suggestions for Kosovo's future status, which offered the widest possible autonomy to the Kosovo Albanians. The president described these suggestions as functional, sustainable and successful solutions. "Therefore we believe that additional efforts are needed in order to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution, that would be in line with [UN] Resolution 1244, and provide essential, functional self-governance, that would guarantee the Kosovo Albanians all their rights," he continued. "Such a solution is possible, and there is room for it. You can count on Serbia's full readiness to constructively and responsibly take part in continued negotiations, which can be organized in Belgrade, Pristina or anywhere in the world, in a form that this UN body sees as adequate," Tadic told the Security Council ambassadors. Commenting on Ruecker's report, which states that the situation in the province is satisfactory, the president said this report does not reflect the real state of affairs. "There is no freedom of movement in Kosovo, there is no return of refugees, while there is constant intimidation of the remaining Serbs," Tadic explained. "Here are a few additional facts: after UNMIK and KFOR missions arrived, from 1999 until January 2007, over 7,000 ethnically motivated attacks took place, 518 Serbs were killed, along with 104 members of other ethnically discriminated communities," he said. "841 Serbs were also kidnapped, while 960 sustained serious injuries. Almost 18,000 houses were destroyed, as many were robbed, while 27,000 houses and apartments were illegally occupied. These are just some facts from a sea of data that speaks about the real circumstances in Kosovo," Tadic said at the UN this afternoon. He stressed that Belgrade and the NATO-led troops in the province, KFOR, have a good cooperation, thanks to which many lives were saved during the riots that ethnic Albanians organized in March 2004. Serbia will not resort to war in Kosovo, Tadic said, but it is ready to offer protection to population under threat of violence. "If there is any kind of violence in Kosovo, and KFOR is not be able to adequately react and protect the Serbs, we are ready, and I stress this, with agreement from appropriate international institutions, and respecting international law, we are ready to help and offer protection to the threatened population," Tadic concluded. As the session continues this afternoon, Ruecker will address the closed meeting, as well as Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. The session will discuss the reports on the progress made in the province submitted by both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his representative to Kosovo, UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker. Before departing for New York, late Tuesday, Tadic told Beta that his address to the Security Council would be about the Serb community in Kosovo and the perspective of the future status of Kosovo, and added that he would defend Serbia's interests and seek new avenues for continuing the negotiating process. "I will repeat once again that Serbia absolutely does not accept any independence for Kosovo and that it will abolish any such decision and launch legal and diplomatic processes against it," Tadic said. He stressed he would seek avenues for resuming the negotiating process and show Serbia was truly ready for an agreed-on and compromise solution, which does not threaten its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and that he certainly would not allow the process to unfold without Serbia's involvement. Tadic pointed out there was good news for Serbia at the Security Council, "that there is no majority for any independence for Kosovo." Serbia's president said he would argue for re-establishing the position of countries opposing Kosovo's independence and on the other hand "open a dialog with those who are in favor of Kosovo's independence to change their mind." He said no-one could claim with certainty what would happen in the forthcoming period, that there had been "many D-days" since the year 2000, and that many had foreseen that the negotiating process would fall apart in a few months and Kosovo become independent. Asked about the action plan for the eventuality of Kosovo's independence, the president of Serbia said the plan did not include any violence, war or new conflict. Tadic said the resumption of the negotiating process was the main issue of the negotiating team and that, in addition to his address to the Security Council, he would speak with ambassadors of council member countries and "many other people who create international policies in the UN." Earlier today, Director of the Forum for Ethical Relations Dusan Janjic has told B92 that this is a regular session where the UN secretary-general’s envoy can submit his report. “From that point of view, we shouldn’t expect any discussion of status. Clearly, all the speakers will assume their usual positions. Therefore, this will be one of the last exchanges of opinion before decisions are taken,” claims Janjic. He says that Belgrade’s lobbying of Security Council members has had partial success. “There’s no doubt that when Belgrade’s representatives talk about human rights violations they find support. The document prepared by the government, the response to Ruecker’s report, this is a very extensive document and definitely contains points that will be supported,” Janjic points out. He says that the points that will probably prompt most discussion and disagreement are those that claim that certain countries and Ruecker himself have stood in the way of further dialogue, as they have been forcing through the Ahtisaari Plan, despite the fact that it has already been rejected. The ambassadors will, however, allow Thaci to speak at the session, in spite of Belgrade and Moscow’s opposition. They have called on Article 39 of the rules of procedure, under which “an individual who can offer information useful to the course of the debate” can be allowed to take part. Boris Tadic at the UN today, ahead of the UN SC session (Tanjug)

Tadić: We'll never accept Kosovo independence

"Serbia will never recognize Kosovo's independence," the president told the Security Council as he began his address.

He added that Belgrade will preserve its territorial integrity and sovereignty "using all democratic means, legal arguments and diplomacy, and will not resort to war and violence."

The president also urged the council to make a decision to continue negotiations over the status of Serbia's southern province.

"No one has the right to destabilize Serbia and the Balkans will hasty and unilateral decisions about the future status of Kosovo, since they would have unforeseeable consequences for other regions with problems stemming from ethnic separatism," the agencies quoted Tadić as saying.

He went on to say that in the past two years, Serbia has put forward a series of suggestions for Kosovo's future status, which offered the widest possible autonomy to the Kosovo Albanians.

The president described these suggestions as functional, sustainable and successful solutions.

"Therefore we believe that additional efforts are needed in order to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution, that would be in line with [UN] Resolution 1244, and provide essential, functional self-governance, that would guarantee the Kosovo Albanians all their rights," he continued.

"Such a solution is possible, and there is room for it. You can count on Serbia's full readiness to constructively and responsibly take part in continued negotiations, which can be organized in Belgrade, Priština or anywhere in the world, in a form that this UN body sees as adequate," Tadić told the Security Council ambassadors.

Commenting on Ruecker's report, which states that the situation in the province is satisfactory, the president said this report does not reflect the real state of affairs.

"There is no freedom of movement in Kosovo, there is no return of refugees, while there is constant intimidation of the remaining Serbs," Tadić explained.

"Here are a few additional facts: after UNMIK and KFOR missions arrived, from 1999 until January 2007, over 7,000 ethnically motivated attacks took place, 518 Serbs were killed, along with 104 members of other ethnically discriminated communities," he said.

"841 Serbs were also kidnapped, while 960 sustained serious injuries. Almost 18,000 houses were destroyed, as many were robbed, while 27,000 houses and apartments were illegally occupied. These are just some facts from a sea of data that speaks about the real circumstances in Kosovo," Tadić said at the UN this afternoon.

He stressed that Belgrade and the NATO-led troops in the province, KFOR, have a good cooperation, thanks to which many lives were saved during the riots that ethnic Albanians organized in March 2004.

Serbia will not resort to war in Kosovo, Tadić said, but it is ready to offer protection to population under threat of violence.

"If there is any kind of violence in Kosovo, and KFOR is not be able to adequately react and protect the Serbs, we are ready, and I stress this, with agreement from appropriate international institutions, and respecting international law, we are ready to help and offer protection to the threatened population," Tadić concluded.

As the session continues this afternoon, Ruecker will address the closed meeting, as well as Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

The session will discuss the reports on the progress made in the province submitted by both UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his representative to Kosovo, UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker.

Before departing for New York, late Tuesday, Tadić told Beta that his address to the Security Council would be about the Serb community in Kosovo and the perspective of the future status of Kosovo, and added that he would defend Serbia's interests and seek new avenues for continuing the negotiating process.

"I will repeat once again that Serbia absolutely does not accept any independence for Kosovo and that it will abolish any such decision and launch legal and diplomatic processes against it," Tadić said.

He stressed he would seek avenues for resuming the negotiating process and show Serbia was truly ready for an agreed-on and compromise solution, which does not threaten its territorial integrity and sovereignty, and that he certainly would not allow the process to unfold without Serbia's involvement.

Tadić pointed out there was good news for Serbia at the Security Council, "that there is no majority for any independence for Kosovo."

Serbia's president said he would argue for re-establishing the position of countries opposing Kosovo's independence and on the other hand "open a dialog with those who are in favor of Kosovo's independence to change their mind."

He said no-one could claim with certainty what would happen in the forthcoming period, that there had been "many D-days" since the year 2000, and that many had foreseen that the negotiating process would fall apart in a few months and Kosovo become independent.

Asked about the action plan for the eventuality of Kosovo's independence, the president of Serbia said the plan did not include any violence, war or new conflict.

Tadić said the resumption of the negotiating process was the main issue of the negotiating team and that, in addition to his address to the Security Council, he would speak with ambassadors of council member countries and "many other people who create international policies in the UN."

Earlier today, Director of the Forum for Ethical Relations Dušan Janjić has told B92 that this is a regular session where the UN secretary-general’s envoy can submit his report.

“From that point of view, we shouldn’t expect any discussion of status. Clearly, all the speakers will assume their usual positions. Therefore, this will be one of the last exchanges of opinion before decisions are taken,” claims Janjić.

He says that Belgrade’s lobbying of Security Council members has had partial success.

“There’s no doubt that when Belgrade’s representatives talk about human rights violations they find support. The document prepared by the government, the response to Ruecker’s report, this is a very extensive document and definitely contains points that will be supported,” Janjić points out.

He says that the points that will probably prompt most discussion and disagreement are those that claim that certain countries and Ruecker himself have stood in the way of further dialogue, as they have been forcing through the Ahtisaari Plan, despite the fact that it has already been rejected.

The ambassadors will, however, allow Thaci to speak at the session, in spite of Belgrade and Moscow’s opposition.

They have called on Article 39 of the rules of procedure, under which “an individual who can offer information useful to the course of the debate” can be allowed to take part.