"Independence arguments dangerous"

Serbian Ambassador to the United States Ivan Vujacic has reacted to an editorial published earlier in the Wall Street Journal. The ambassador said an argument that the recognition of Kosovo's independence was the only way to avoid unrest and violence in the province was dangerous. "Independence arguments dangerous" The most disturbing part of the argument of the paper's editor Matthew Kaminski's piece is that the urgent recognition of independence is the only way to avoid unrest and violence, Vujacic said in his response, published by the New York daily on Saturday. "Serbia offers Kosovo the widest possible autonomy within Serbia, even exceeding European standards. It wants fair negotiations, rather than those with a predetermined solution. It wants the process to move forward under UN auspices, because this organization has defined the present status of Kosovo in UN Security Council Resolution 1244," Vujacic wrote. He added that Serbia called for the observation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and strongly opposed the creation of new borders in the Balkans. "Like we all agree that Kosovo should not be divided, some have apparently failed to notice that independence of Kosovo (Serbian province which did not have the status of a republic in the former Yugoslavia) would in fact represent the division of Serbia," Vujacic argued. He wondered why Serbia should be exposed to "such tough choices or even blackmail suggested by Kaminski." "What would Kaminski say if somebody made Kosovo Albanians choose between the European Union or independence," Vujacic said in his response.

"Independence arguments dangerous"

The most disturbing part of the argument of the paper's editor Matthew Kaminski's piece is that the urgent recognition of independence is the only way to avoid unrest and violence, Vujačić said in his response, published by the New York daily on Saturday.

"Serbia offers Kosovo the widest possible autonomy within Serbia, even exceeding European standards. It wants fair negotiations, rather than those with a predetermined solution. It wants the process to move forward under UN auspices, because this organization has defined the present status of Kosovo in UN Security Council Resolution 1244," Vujačić wrote.

He added that Serbia called for the observation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and strongly opposed the creation of new borders in the Balkans.

"Like we all agree that Kosovo should not be divided, some have apparently failed to notice that independence of Kosovo (Serbian province which did not have the status of a republic in the former Yugoslavia) would in fact represent the division of Serbia," Vujačić argued.

He wondered why Serbia should be exposed to "such tough choices or even blackmail suggested by Kaminski."

"What would Kaminski say if somebody made Kosovo Albanians choose between the European Union or independence," Vujačić said in his response.