Tadić: No support for partition of Kosovo

Serbia cannot continue the EU integration process unless it has citizens' support, Serbian President Boris Tadic has stated. He added, however, that the citizens would not give their support unless Serbia preserved its legitimate interests in Kosovo. Tadic: No support for partition of Kosovo "Serbia does not foster illusions that it could get Kosovo back into the state system of the Republic of Serbia in a way it used to be before 2000, but Serbia is not giving up on negotiations and searching for a sustainable solution," the Serbian president told Skopje-based daily Dnevnik. A partition of Kosovo is not a realistic solution and Serbia has no illusion it can return Kosovo to its state system the way it was before 2000, says Boris Tadic. The Serbian president spoke for the Skopje-based daily Dnevnik to say that partitioning Kosovo was "one of the solutions that existed for decades, a solution that came from Serbia as early as in the 1960s, and was not accepted". "That was also a solution that many Albanians advocated in their policy in the past. However, that is today a solution that realistically cannot be realized," he was quoted as saying, and added that the reason was "insufficient support". According to Tadic, one of the solutions is a dual sovereignty, as well as a model based on an international solution, such as the Irish model, South Tyrol or the model of the two German states. He stated, in view of the recent decision of Brussels regarding Serbia's EU candidate status, that without EU integration Serbia and its citizens would lag behind in the economic sense. “All those who propose that Serbia should suspend its EU integration process, primarily because of Kosovo and Metohija, are in fact telling the citizens who will be born in the future and the young people of today that there will be less jobs and less possibilities to export Serbia's products,” Tadic underlined. He pointed out that there was a problem of Kosovo recognition by the Macedonian state. "It is hard to believe that Macedonia may review its approach to that issue," the president noted. When asked if the reason for such a decision was partly because about 25 percent of Albanians lived in Macedonia, Tadic said that Albanians lived in Serbia as well. "I understand all countries, but the question arises as to who understands Serbia," he concluded. Boris Tadic (Tanjug, file)

Tadić: No support for partition of Kosovo

"Serbia does not foster illusions that it could get Kosovo back into the state system of the Republic of Serbia in a way it used to be before 2000, but Serbia is not giving up on negotiations and searching for a sustainable solution," the Serbian president told Skopje-based daily Dnevnik.

A partition of Kosovo is not a realistic solution and Serbia has no illusion it can return Kosovo to its state system the way it was before 2000, says Boris Tadić.

The Serbian president spoke for the Skopje-based daily Dnevnik to say that partitioning Kosovo was "one of the solutions that existed for decades, a solution that came from Serbia as early as in the 1960s, and was not accepted".

"That was also a solution that many Albanians advocated in their policy in the past. However, that is today a solution that realistically cannot be realized," he was quoted as saying, and added that the reason was "insufficient support".

According to Tadić, one of the solutions is a dual sovereignty, as well as a model based on an international solution, such as the Irish model, South Tyrol or the model of the two German states.

He stated, in view of the recent decision of Brussels regarding Serbia's EU candidate status, that without EU integration Serbia and its citizens would lag behind in the economic sense.

“All those who propose that Serbia should suspend its EU integration process, primarily because of Kosovo and Metohija, are in fact telling the citizens who will be born in the future and the young people of today that there will be less jobs and less possibilities to export Serbia's products,” Tadić underlined.

He pointed out that there was a problem of Kosovo recognition by the Macedonian state.

"It is hard to believe that Macedonia may review its approach to that issue," the president noted.

When asked if the reason for such a decision was partly because about 25 percent of Albanians lived in Macedonia, Tadić said that Albanians lived in Serbia as well.

"I understand all countries, but the question arises as to who understands Serbia," he concluded.