Kosovo Serb leader rejects partition idea

President of the Serb National Council (SNV) of Northern Kosovo Milan Ivanovic says he is not in favor of a partition of Kosovo and Metohija. He also told B92 in Belgrade on Monday that he opposed to the ongoing Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Kosovo Serb leader rejects partition idea According to him, the solution for Kosovo lies in affirmation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and the Constitution of Serbia. Ivanovic told a Radio B92 program that he rejected the possibility of partitioning the territory, because such a move would be unconstitutional, considering that Kosovo and Metohija is an inalienable part of Serbia. He described the partition idea, recently floated by some high ranking Serbian officials, as "horrible", explaining that it would divide the territory along the Ibar River, with the area north of the Ibar - where Serbs are a majority - makes up only five to six percent of the territory of Kosovo, "and economically even less". South of the Ibar, Serbs live in scattered, isolated enclaves. Ivanovic also voiced his support for the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) stance that "we don't have Serbia unless we have Kosovo". He explained that his opposition to the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue came because it dealt only with technical issues, rather than the status of Kosovo and Metohija, and added that the talks were "used only as a cue to strengthen Kosovo's institutions". Ivanovic criticized Belgrade team leader Borislav Stefanovic's trip to Pristina last week and the Serbian government's policy, which, according to him, "makes the already difficult position of Serbs in Kosovo even worse". Milan Ivanovic (Tanjug, file)

Kosovo Serb leader rejects partition idea

According to him, the solution for Kosovo lies in affirmation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and the Constitution of Serbia.

Ivanović told a Radio B92 program that he rejected the possibility of partitioning the territory, because such a move would be unconstitutional, considering that Kosovo and Metohija is an inalienable part of Serbia.

He described the partition idea, recently floated by some high ranking Serbian officials, as "horrible", explaining that it would divide the territory along the Ibar River, with the area north of the Ibar - where Serbs are a majority - makes up only five to six percent of the territory of Kosovo, "and economically even less".

South of the Ibar, Serbs live in scattered, isolated enclaves.

Ivanović also voiced his support for the opposition Serb Progressive Party (SNS) stance that "we don't have Serbia unless we have Kosovo".

He explained that his opposition to the Belgrade-Priština dialogue came because it dealt only with technical issues, rather than the status of Kosovo and Metohija, and added that the talks were "used only as a cue to strengthen Kosovo's institutions".

Ivanović criticized Belgrade team leader Borislav Stefanović's trip to Priština last week and the Serbian government's policy, which, according to him, "makes the already difficult position of Serbs in Kosovo even worse".