"120 states back Serbia in trial vote"

A German paper says trial voting at the UN revealed that 120 out of 192 UN member states would support Serbia's ICJ initiative. The economic daily Handelsblatt reminds that a simple majority is enough for the initiative to pass. "120 states back Serbia in trial vote" The actual voting will take place on Oct. 8. Belgrade will be asking the UN General Assembly to send a resolution on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' declaration of independence to the International Court of Justice, ICJ. According to Beta news agency, the newspaper also quotes Foreign Minister Vuk Jermic who appealed to the German government to stop its opposition to the Serbian plan. "I hope that Germany will vote in favor of our proposal and that it will not betray its principles," he said. So far, Handelsblatt reminds, ICJ's international legal expertise was sought some twenty times, each time supported by Germany, who said its backing for these initiatives was a policy that wished to strengthen multilateral institutions, such as the ICJ. However, when it comes to Kosovo, that position could change, the report today says, and adds that Germany, "like most EU members", will abstain from voting. "The federal chancellor's office even spoke in favor of Germany, just as the U.S. and Great Britain, voting against," the paper adds. This stance in the West comes out of fear that if the ICJ takes on this issue and if the process lasts for two years, many states will not recognize Kosovo, which would halt all investments there, the report says, and adds that "this subject will be on the agenda as Serbian President Boris Tadic visits Berlin this week". Hadelsblatt also quotes an unnamed high ranking U.S. diplomat who described the ICJ move as "the Serbs' very unfortunate idea", to add that the situation in Kosovo will stabilize only when Belgrade withdraws support for the "radical Serbs" in the north. However, the German paper says that the decision to push forward with the initiative could mean that the pro-Western government in Belgrade wishes to pacify nationalists at home. Another anonymous diplomat, this time representing a European country, is cited as saying that "calling on the court as a neutral instance is an attempt to 'de-Kosovize' the Serbian internal political scene".

"120 states back Serbia in trial vote"

The actual voting will take place on Oct. 8. Belgrade will be asking the UN General Assembly to send a resolution on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' declaration of independence to the International Court of Justice, ICJ.

According to Beta news agency, the newspaper also quotes Foreign Minister Vuk Jermić who appealed to the German government to stop its opposition to the Serbian plan.

"I hope that Germany will vote in favor of our proposal and that it will not betray its principles," he said.

So far, Handelsblatt reminds, ICJ's international legal expertise was sought some twenty times, each time supported by Germany, who said its backing for these initiatives was a policy that wished to strengthen multilateral institutions, such as the ICJ.

However, when it comes to Kosovo, that position could change, the report today says, and adds that Germany, "like most EU members", will abstain from voting.

"The federal chancellor's office even spoke in favor of Germany, just as the U.S. and Great Britain, voting against," the paper adds.

This stance in the West comes out of fear that if the ICJ takes on this issue and if the process lasts for two years, many states will not recognize Kosovo, which would halt all investments there, the report says, and adds that "this subject will be on the agenda as Serbian President Boris Tadić visits Berlin this week".

Hadelsblatt also quotes an unnamed high ranking U.S. diplomat who described the ICJ move as "the Serbs' very unfortunate idea", to add that the situation in Kosovo will stabilize only when Belgrade withdraws support for the "radical Serbs" in the north.

However, the German paper says that the decision to push forward with the initiative could mean that the pro-Western government in Belgrade wishes to pacify nationalists at home.

Another anonymous diplomat, this time representing a European country, is cited as saying that "calling on the court as a neutral instance is an attempt to 'de-Kosovize' the Serbian internal political scene".