Croatian president, UN head discuss Jeremić's statement

ZAGREB UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in Croatia on Saturday that his visiting Kosovo was a part of the broader mission of the visit to the Balkan countries. After his meeting with Ban, Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said that Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic's statement that Kosovo could only enter the UN over his dead body had been “expected” but perhaps “inappropriate”. Croatian president, UN head discuss Jeremic's statement Ban said that the status of Kosovo was regulated under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and did not want to comment on Jeremic's statement before he visited Serbia, where he would meet with the Serbian official. “Since Vuk Jeremic is a Serbian minister, his statement was not surprising at all, as his views only reflected Serbia's policy towards Kosovo,” said Josipovic. He observed that Jeremic should separate the roles he had as a UN General Assembly president and as a local politician, adding that in that context, his statement had perhaps been inappropriate. “Croatia's policy towards Kosovo is defined by the fact that Croatia has recognized Kosovo,” Josipovic explained. He said that Croatia wanted good relations with all countries in the region and sought to build such relations with Serbia. “The UN secretary general has recognized Croatia's role in stabilizing the region,” said the Croatian president. Ban congratulated Croatia on entering the European Union. Ban Ki-moon and Ivo Josipovic (Tanjug) Tanjug

Croatian president, UN head discuss Jeremić's statement

Ban said that the status of Kosovo was regulated under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and did not want to comment on Jeremić's statement before he visited Serbia, where he would meet with the Serbian official.

“Since Vuk Jeremić is a Serbian minister, his statement was not surprising at all, as his views only reflected Serbia's policy towards Kosovo,” said Josipović.

He observed that Jeremić should separate the roles he had as a UN General Assembly president and as a local politician, adding that in that context, his statement had perhaps been inappropriate.

“Croatia's policy towards Kosovo is defined by the fact that Croatia has recognized Kosovo,” Josipović explained.

He said that Croatia wanted good relations with all countries in the region and sought to build such relations with Serbia.

“The UN secretary general has recognized Croatia's role in stabilizing the region,” said the Croatian president.

Ban congratulated Croatia on entering the European Union.