New conditions related to Kosovo "impossible"

BELGRADE Oliver Ivanovic says the German demand for Serbia to establish "a contractual relationship" with Kosovo is a red line which nobody will cross. In the past weeks, Serbia received three separate messages from German politicians about "how it should arrange its relations with Kosovo", the latest coming on Thursday from a high ranking official of Germany's ruling party. New conditions related to Kosovo "impossible" Andreas Schockenhoff of the CDU party stated that before the start of its EU accession talks Serbia must sign "a joint, legally-binding statement" with Pristina. Listing a total of seven demands put before Serbia, he said they included "solving the case of the attacks on German embassy in 2008, and continued reconciliation in the region". Ivanovic, Serbia's former state secretary for Kosovo, commented by saying that these conditions were expected, as they reflected the German party's clear position on Kosovo. "Insisting on some sort of contractual relations with Kosovo is something new to me. I do not think it will be accepted, and I think that is a red line that neither this, nor the previous government should cross under any circumstances. According to our Constitution, Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia, and backing down would represent a violation of the Constitution. No politician nowadays can do that sort of thing," he told B92 Radio on Friday. "Whoever thinks they should do that should ask for the Constitution to be changed, and then if they do it, there will be no legal obstacle to establishing bilateral relations with Kosovo in the full legal sense of the word," Ivanovic concluded. Oliver Ivanovic (Beta, file) B92

New conditions related to Kosovo "impossible"

Andreas Schockenhoff of the CDU party stated that before the start of its EU accession talks Serbia must sign "a joint, legally-binding statement" with Priština.

Listing a total of seven demands put before Serbia, he said they included "solving the case of the attacks on German embassy in 2008, and continued reconciliation in the region".

Ivanović, Serbia's former state secretary for Kosovo, commented by saying that these conditions were expected, as they reflected the German party's clear position on Kosovo.

"Insisting on some sort of contractual relations with Kosovo is something new to me. I do not think it will be accepted, and I think that is a red line that neither this, nor the previous government should cross under any circumstances. According to our Constitution, Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia, and backing down would represent a violation of the Constitution. No politician nowadays can do that sort of thing," he told B92 Radio on Friday.

"Whoever thinks they should do that should ask for the Constitution to be changed, and then if they do it, there will be no legal obstacle to establishing bilateral relations with Kosovo in the full legal sense of the word," Ivanović concluded.