UNESCO has not received Pristina's membership application

UNESCO has not received Pristina's membership application

This is the case because abstentions "would indirectly pave the way for Kosovo's membership," according to the article. Belgrade aims to prevent such outcome "because otherwise all Serb monuments (in Kosovo) under UNESCO's protection would be 'attributed' to Pristina."

The daily noted that out of 58 members of UNESCO's Executive Board, 33 have recognized Kosovo. Ethnic Albanians in this province in early 2008 unilaterally declared independence, a move Serbia considers a violation of its Constitution and territorial integrity.

Vecernje Novosti writes today that "the rules are such that a simple majority is enough for Pristina's request to make it to the UNESCO general conference that will be held in mid-November."

Serbia does not have a representative in the current executive board, that will meet in October. The paper lists Albania, Austria, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United States as countries that are represented there, and that have recognized Kosovo.

If Pristina's application arrives in Paris and the UNESCO secretary general sends it to the executive board, "it will be enough for one or two members to ask for it to be included in the agenda and voted on at this level."

"The next step is the Conference where according to Pristina's count 111 out of 195 members have recognized Kosovo, and they also count on the votes of those countries who do not consider them to be a country and who in the past supported them in joining other international organizations," the paper said.