Koštunica to EU: Alliance with Serbia or Kosovo mission

Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica has called on the European Union "to observe international law." He told the Christmas edition of Vecerenje Novosti that the European Union must back continued negotiations on Kosovo's status and not send its mission to the southern province. Kostunica to EU: Alliance with Serbia or Kosovo mission "There is still time for the EU to decide to observe international law and make efforts so that the negotiations on Kosovo status be continued, which would have far-reaching positive consequences not only regarding the relations between Serbia and the EU, but also the relations on a broader level," Kostunica told the daily. The prime minister pointed out that the EU's decision to send its mission to Kosovo would be illegal, and that as such it would "seriously violate the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 1244." According to the announcements coming from Brussels, the EU will make the decision at the forthcoming session of the Council of Ministers scheduled for January 28. "With such an illegal decision, the EU would seriously violate the UN Charter and Resolution 1244, which would automatically mean that there is the Stabilization and Association Agreement is no longer. After this, only in case that the EU withdrew its decision on sending the mission would Serbia be able to discuss the Agreement once again," the Serbian prime minister underscored. "Serbia has initialed the Agreement which clearly and unequivocally guarantees sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, just as it does to all other countries in Europe. Serbia is ready to strictly observe all the provisions of the Agreement," Kostunica stressed. The prime minister assessed that "unfortunately, the other contractual party - the EU - has begun announcing, before the Agreement has even been signed, that it will seriously violate the document." "Namely, the EU has the intention of reaching an illegal decision on sending a civil EU mission to Kosovo and Metohija, so that it could begin implementing the rejected Ahtisaari plan on supervised independence," Kostunica said. He added that in such a situation, "it is clear that the EU has to decide whether it wants an agreement with Serbia or to break Serbia into pieces with its mission." "It would be really too much if the EU had the ambition and believed it could do both things," the prime minister said. Kostunica underlined, however, that it was "now up the EU to decide on the issue."

Koštunica to EU: Alliance with Serbia or Kosovo mission

"There is still time for the EU to decide to observe international law and make efforts so that the negotiations on Kosovo status be continued, which would have far-reaching positive consequences not only regarding the relations between Serbia and the EU, but also the relations on a broader level," Koštunica told the daily.

The prime minister pointed out that the EU's decision to send its mission to Kosovo would be illegal, and that as such it would "seriously violate the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 1244."

According to the announcements coming from Brussels, the EU will make the decision at the forthcoming session of the Council of Ministers scheduled for January 28.

"With such an illegal decision, the EU would seriously violate the UN Charter and Resolution 1244, which would automatically mean that there is the Stabilization and Association Agreement is no longer. After this, only in case that the EU withdrew its decision on sending the mission would Serbia be able to discuss the Agreement once again," the Serbian prime minister underscored.

"Serbia has initialed the Agreement which clearly and unequivocally guarantees sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, just as it does to all other countries in Europe. Serbia is ready to strictly observe all the provisions of the Agreement," Koštunica stressed.

The prime minister assessed that "unfortunately, the other contractual party - the EU - has begun announcing, before the Agreement has even been signed, that it will seriously violate the document."

"Namely, the EU has the intention of reaching an illegal decision on sending a civil EU mission to Kosovo and Metohija, so that it could begin implementing the rejected Ahtisaari plan on supervised independence," Koštunica said.

He added that in such a situation, "it is clear that the EU has to decide whether it wants an agreement with Serbia or to break Serbia into pieces with its mission."

"It would be really too much if the EU had the ambition and believed it could do both things," the prime minister said.

Koštunica underlined, however, that it was "now up the EU to decide on the issue."