Tadić urges neighbors against recognitions

President Boris Tadic has called on Macedonia not to recognize Kosovo Albanians' unilaterally declared independence. This emerged after a meeting Tadic had with his Macedonian counterpart Branko Crvenkovski, held on the sidelines of the UN general Assembly session in New York on Wednesday. Tadic urges neighbors against recognitions The president said that the government in Belgrade would undertake "corresponding measures should Skopje decide to acknowledge the self-proclaimed independence of the southern Serbian province", the Macedonian Information Agency (MIA) reported. Crvenkovski expressed belief that in reaching the decision on Kosovo, the government in Skopje would take into consideration "all pros and contras". Earlier, Tadic spoke to VOA Serbian service to say that Belgrade will not show understanding if her neighbors decided to recognize Kosovo's declaration, saying that such moves would destabilize the country. "Serbia could not accept something of the kind without providing any answer. Of course, we will never again go to war. We will not destabilize other states, but we will behave like a country with dignity that protects her integrity," he said, and pleaded with the governments in Macedonia and Montenegro "to take this fact into account". Tadic also told VOA that success for Serbia's ICJ initiative at the United Nations would bring a new approach to the resolution of the Kosovo issue and strengthen Serbia's international credibility. He added that he has "always been a careful optimist," and voiced belief that "if we succeed, a new page will open in the settlement of the Kosovo issue”. According to the president, Serbia's initiative to raise the issue on the importance of international law would give the United Nations additional strength in the process of reforms. Tadic also expects that the way in which Serbia is trying to resolve the Kosovo issue will become a model for all other similar situations and conflicts in the world. Tadic, who yesterday called on the UN General Assembly to back Serbia's ICJ resolution, expressed his belief that after the forthcoming U.S. presidential elections "a new page will open in the relations between Belgrade and Washington". “We cannot defend our interests in Kosovo without the understanding of the U.S.,” he was quoted as saying. Tadic added that "one could hardly expect that Washington would annul its decision on Kosovo independence recognition", but underlined, however, that the “U.S. attitude towards that problem has changed, which is very important”. “We highly respect the principled support of Russia, which I expect will continue, but we have to be aware of the fact that we need the support and understanding of other great powers as well. We have the support of China, but we cannot do without the United States,” Tadic said. Addressing world leaders gathered in New York on Tuesday, the president said, "Your vote in support of this resolution would serve to re-affirm another key international principle at stake: the right of any member state of the United Nations to pose a simple, elementary question - on a matter it considers vitally important - to the competent court". Tadic addresses the UN GA (FoNet) Jeremic hopeful Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic has expressed hope that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will rule in favor of Serbia’s position that international law has been broken when Kosovo unilaterally declared independence. "After the ICJ has ruled in this way, and we hope it will if we get the UN General Assembly’s support for our initiative, new opportunities will arise for further talks on the Kosovo status,” Jeremic told Russia Today TV. He said that the path of unilateralism cannot pay off and that it will be proved as illegal from the international law viewpoint. "We hope that the ICJ’s ruling will show that the unilateral path is illegal and that only through a renewal of negotiations on Kosovo’s future status we’ll be able to transfer this issue into the legal arena. That’s our objective,” the minister said. Jeremic added that "many presidents of the western countries spoke before the UN General Assembly in favor of sovereignty and the integrity of the internationally recognized states".

Tadić urges neighbors against recognitions

The president said that the government in Belgrade would undertake "corresponding measures should Skopje decide to acknowledge the self-proclaimed independence of the southern Serbian province", the Macedonian Information Agency (MIA) reported.

Crvenkovski expressed belief that in reaching the decision on Kosovo, the government in Skopje would take into consideration "all pros and contras".

Earlier, Tadić spoke to VOA Serbian service to say that Belgrade will not show understanding if her neighbors decided to recognize Kosovo's declaration, saying that such moves would destabilize the country.

"Serbia could not accept something of the kind without providing any answer. Of course, we will never again go to war. We will not destabilize other states, but we will behave like a country with dignity that protects her integrity," he said, and pleaded with the governments in Macedonia and Montenegro "to take this fact into account".

Tadić also told VOA that success for Serbia's ICJ initiative at the United Nations would bring a new approach to the resolution of the Kosovo issue and strengthen Serbia's international credibility.

He added that he has "always been a careful optimist," and voiced belief that "if we succeed, a new page will open in the settlement of the Kosovo issue”.

According to the president, Serbia's initiative to raise the issue on the importance of international law would give the United Nations additional strength in the process of reforms.

Tadić also expects that the way in which Serbia is trying to resolve the Kosovo issue will become a model for all other similar situations and conflicts in the world.

Tadić, who yesterday called on the UN General Assembly to back Serbia's ICJ resolution, expressed his belief that after the forthcoming U.S. presidential elections "a new page will open in the relations between Belgrade and Washington".

“We cannot defend our interests in Kosovo without the understanding of the U.S.,” he was quoted as saying.

Tadić added that "one could hardly expect that Washington would annul its decision on Kosovo independence recognition", but underlined, however, that the “U.S. attitude towards that problem has changed, which is very important”.

“We highly respect the principled support of Russia, which I expect will continue, but we have to be aware of the fact that we need the support and understanding of other great powers as well. We have the support of China, but we cannot do without the United States,” Tadić said.

Addressing world leaders gathered in New York on Tuesday, the president said, "Your vote in support of this resolution would serve to re-affirm another key international principle at stake: the right of any member state of the United Nations to pose a simple, elementary question - on a matter it considers vitally important - to the competent court".

Jeremić hopeful

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić has expressed hope that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will rule in favor of Serbia’s position that international law has been broken when Kosovo unilaterally declared independence.

"After the ICJ has ruled in this way, and we hope it will if we get the UN General Assembly’s support for our initiative, new opportunities will arise for further talks on the Kosovo status,” Jeremić told Russia Today TV.

He said that the path of unilateralism cannot pay off and that it will be proved as illegal from the international law viewpoint.

"We hope that the ICJ’s ruling will show that the unilateral path is illegal and that only through a renewal of negotiations on Kosovo’s future status we’ll be able to transfer this issue into the legal arena. That’s our objective,” the minister said.

Jeremić added that "many presidents of the western countries spoke before the UN General Assembly in favor of sovereignty and the integrity of the internationally recognized states".