President looks for "unconventional" moves over Kosovo

Serbian President Boris Tadic has said that "unconventional" moves were necessary in Serbia's policy toward Kosovo. That would provide a chance "for a new solution", he told the Belgrade-based Status magazine in an interview. President looks for "unconventional" moves over Kosovo Tadic also believes that the way in which official Belgrade treated Kosovo in the past was "contrary to the interests of Serbia and the Serb nation". Now, said the president, "there should be an attempt to change things with quiet but persistent work, instead of the 'great patriotic' approach". "My way is quiet and persistent work," claimed the president. "To try and move things and change the approach toward Kosovo step by step. That goes for everything else, even our culture of political dialogue." "Until recently it was not allowed to discuss several modalities of approach toward Kosovo and Metohija, there was only one, unchangeable, and I guess, written in stone," said he. Tadic's conclusion, however, was that "many unconventional moves had been made in this policy, which opens up a chance to fine some new solution". On the other hand, stated Tadic, there was "the international community", whose policy he described as "even more rigid". He was speaking about a group of countries advocating Kosovo's independence. "I am deeply convinced that a reform of the approach toward Kosovo and Metohija, an unconventional approach, inventive, flexible, pragmatic, rational, creative, will lead us toward a chance to once produce something of quality in Serbia and sell it in some market," - Tadic was quoted as saying. The province's ethnic Albanians unilaterally proclaimed independence in early 2008, but Serbia rejected the proclamation as an illegal act of secession. Boris Tadic (Beta, file)

President looks for "unconventional" moves over Kosovo

Tadić also believes that the way in which official Belgrade treated Kosovo in the past was "contrary to the interests of Serbia and the Serb nation".

Now, said the president, "there should be an attempt to change things with quiet but persistent work, instead of the 'great patriotic' approach".

"My way is quiet and persistent work," claimed the president. "To try and move things and change the approach toward Kosovo step by step. That goes for everything else, even our culture of political dialogue."

"Until recently it was not allowed to discuss several modalities of approach toward Kosovo and Metohija, there was only one, unchangeable, and I guess, written in stone," said he.

Tadić's conclusion, however, was that "many unconventional moves had been made in this policy, which opens up a chance to fine some new solution".

On the other hand, stated Tadić, there was "the international community", whose policy he described as "even more rigid".

He was speaking about a group of countries advocating Kosovo's independence.

"I am deeply convinced that a reform of the approach toward Kosovo and Metohija, an unconventional approach, inventive, flexible, pragmatic, rational, creative, will lead us toward a chance to once produce something of quality in Serbia and sell it in some market," - Tadić was quoted as saying.

The province's ethnic Albanians unilaterally proclaimed independence in early 2008, but Serbia rejected the proclamation as an illegal act of secession.