Kosovo's independence would spell crisis in Serbia – Tadić

Crisis and possible violence, this is how Boris Tadic sees Serbia in case of Kosovo's independence. "Such a decision of the Kosovo Albanians would immediately cause instability. Anything is possible. I try not to think about possible scenarios, but everything is possible, even violence," the president told Agence France-Presse, AFP, this Sunday. Kosovo's independence would spell crisis in Serbia – Tadic Tadic underscored that unilateral proclamation of independence would "destabilize Serbia's democracy and the country's future," referring to a possible crisis of the coalition government, which ultranationalists, who continue to be influential in Serbia, could take advantage of, the AFP quoted Tadic as saying. "Some believe that stability of two million Albanians in Kosovo is more important than instability of ten million Serbs," said Tadic. Ahead of a new round of talks on the future status of Kosovo, set to be held in Vienna on Monday, he repeated that a unilateral proclamation of independence could also cause instability in all those countries that experience similar problems with ethnic minorities. Tadic pointed out that the countries which could possibly recognize independence of the province can expect radical changes in their relations with Serbia. "Our relations would no longer be the same. I would like to avoid such a scenario, but it would not be possible," Tadic said. He, however, said that all possibilities to come to a compromise solution have yet to be exhausted. "This is the last phase, we are trying to offer new ideas, although it is not easy," the president concluded. Boris Tadic (FoNet) Meanwhile, Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic told reporters in Belgrade today that Serbia's state delegation will insist in Vienna on Monday on the "fact that the issue of the status had not been exhausted," adding that the proposal for essential autonomy of Kosovo "may give good results." "Our side will talk about the status from one point of view and that is the functionality of the solution. So, we will present this stand showing that our proposal for essential autonomy may function and may produce good results, as some experiences in the world show," Samardzic told Tanjug ahead of the new round of talks. Belgrade does not consider the status talks completed, he said, and added that the status is "still the main topic." Other points of discussion, according to Samardzic, will be the 14-item document of the Contact Group Troika. "It is included in the agenda the way the Troika put it together," said the minister, and reminded that Belgrade presented its own 14-point document as reaction to the Troika's paper, at the previous meeting in Brussels. He also said that members of the Serbian state team hope that the Monday talks in Vienna will also include items that are on the agenda and the proposals that the Serbian side wishes to "further present". President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica will head the Belgrade team, while Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Ceku will lead the Pristina delegation in the Austrian capital tomorrow. Slobodan Samardzic (FoNet)

Kosovo's independence would spell crisis in Serbia – Tadić

Tadić underscored that unilateral proclamation of independence would "destabilize Serbia's democracy and the country's future," referring to a possible crisis of the coalition government, which ultranationalists, who continue to be influential in Serbia, could take advantage of, the AFP quoted Tadić as saying.

"Some believe that stability of two million Albanians in Kosovo is more important than instability of ten million Serbs," said Tadić.

Ahead of a new round of talks on the future status of Kosovo, set to be held in Vienna on Monday, he repeated that a unilateral proclamation of independence could also cause instability in all those countries that experience similar problems with ethnic minorities.

Tadić pointed out that the countries which could possibly recognize independence of the province can expect radical changes in their relations with Serbia.

"Our relations would no longer be the same. I would like to avoid such a scenario, but it would not be possible," Tadić said.

He, however, said that all possibilities to come to a compromise solution have yet to be exhausted.

"This is the last phase, we are trying to offer new ideas, although it is not easy," the president concluded. Meanwhile, Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardžić told reporters in Belgrade today that Serbia's state delegation will insist in Vienna on Monday on the "fact that the issue of the status had not been exhausted," adding that the proposal for essential autonomy of Kosovo "may give good results."

"Our side will talk about the status from one point of view and that is the functionality of the solution. So, we will present this stand showing that our proposal for essential autonomy may function and may produce good results, as some experiences in the world show," Samardžić told Tanjug ahead of the new round of talks.

Belgrade does not consider the status talks completed, he said, and added that the status is "still the main topic."

Other points of discussion, according to Samardžić, will be the 14-item document of the Contact Group Troika.

"It is included in the agenda the way the Troika put it together," said the minister, and reminded that Belgrade presented its own 14-point document as reaction to the Troika's paper, at the previous meeting in Brussels.

He also said that members of the Serbian state team hope that the Monday talks in Vienna will also include items that are on the agenda and the proposals that the Serbian side wishes to "further present".

President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica will head the Belgrade team, while Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Agim Ceku will lead the Priština delegation in the Austrian capital tomorrow.