"ICJ move direct challenge to EU"

British Ambassador Stephen Wordsworth says the EU cannot ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo.

Izvor: B92

Sunday, 03.08.2008.

11:53

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British Ambassador Stephen Wordsworth says the EU cannot ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo. But the diplomat told the daily Vecernje Novosti in an interview published today that at the same time, most members of this organization find Kosovo's independence to be irreversible. "ICJ move direct challenge to EU" Wordsworth also described Belgrade's announced initiative to have the International Court of Justice (ICJ) give its opinion on the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence "a mistake", saying it constituted for "a direct challenge to the EU", that will "only make cooperation and Serbia's integration into the EU more difficult". He said the idea about annulling the secession is "dangerous misleading", since Kosovo has been recognized "by most Union, most [UN] Security Council members". The European Union, as an organization, cannot condition Serbia's membership with something it is not asking from its current members, he told the daily, and added that, "until some EU states recognize Kosovo, the EU cannot insist that Serbia does something of the kind". The activation of an interim trade deal, which is a part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), the realization of which has been suspended, awaits the word of Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, Wordsworth said. The EU cannot appraise on its own whether the Kradzic arrest is a sign of full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, he concluded. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told B92 yesterday that although some of the most powerful countries in the world will be against the ICJ initiative, Belgrade will secure support from the necessary 96 UN members to seek the court's opinion. The ICJ decision in the case will not be binding, but should Belgrade's argument that the secession declaration was violating international law receive backing, "it could slow down or halt the wave of recognitions". Stephen Wordsworth (Photo courtesy of British embassy)

"ICJ move direct challenge to EU"

Wordsworth also described Belgrade's announced initiative to have the International Court of Justice (ICJ) give its opinion on the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence "a mistake", saying it constituted for "a direct challenge to the EU", that will "only make cooperation and Serbia's integration into the EU more difficult".

He said the idea about annulling the secession is "dangerous misleading", since Kosovo has been recognized "by most Union, most [UN] Security Council members".

The European Union, as an organization, cannot condition Serbia's membership with something it is not asking from its current members, he told the daily, and added that, "until some EU states recognize Kosovo, the EU cannot insist that Serbia does something of the kind".

The activation of an interim trade deal, which is a part of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), the realization of which has been suspended, awaits the word of Chief Hague Prosecutor Serge Brammertz, Wordsworth said.

The EU cannot appraise on its own whether the Kradžić arrest is a sign of full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, he concluded.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić told B92 yesterday that although some of the most powerful countries in the world will be against the ICJ initiative, Belgrade will secure support from the necessary 96 UN members to seek the court's opinion.

The ICJ decision in the case will not be binding, but should Belgrade's argument that the secession declaration was violating international law receive backing, "it could slow down or halt the wave of recognitions".

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