Patriarch: Platform best solution for Kosovo issue

BELGRADE Serbian Patriarch Irinej has stated that a state platform on Kosovo is the best solution for the Kosovo problem. He supported Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic’s dialogue with Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci and stressed that every problem needed to be solved through dialogue. Patriarch: Platform best solution for Kosovo issue Irinej believes that “both Europe and Kosovo policy” was not impossible but warned that “if someone asks Serbia to renounce Kosovo in order to be a part of the European community, then it is a too high price we cannot accept”. He also believes that parts of the platform can be changed but that its foundations are good. “The platform is a big and important step. We could have reached a couple of years earlier but it is not late now,” the patriarch told Radio Belgrade. He added that he expected a fair solution to be reached in the dialogue. “It is unacceptable for the Church to make any kind of border between Serbia and Kosovo,” Irinej stressed. “We are a part of Europe and there is no dilemma here,” he said and added that “our history and culture are a part of the European history and culture and Serbia is de facto in Europe”. Irinej said that “surely nobody wants to be outside Europe and we know how much Europe means to us, just like we partially mean something to Europe”. “But if it comes to choosing between Europe and Kosovo and Metohija, we have no dilemma. If we have to sacrifice Kosovo and Metohija and everything that is located in Kosovo in order to become members of the European community, then it is a too high of a price that no normal people could accept,” he underscored. Commenting on a possible visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, the patriarch said that he personally believed that the visit would be useful and that “it would not bother anyone”. “The pope should come to Serbia, that is my personal opinion. Even though there are reasons for the postponement of his visit, it would be good if the meeting and dialogue of the two churches took place. I believe this will happen some day,” Irinej noted. Patriarch Irinej (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Patriarch: Platform best solution for Kosovo issue

Irinej believes that “both Europe and Kosovo policy” was not impossible but warned that “if someone asks Serbia to renounce Kosovo in order to be a part of the European community, then it is a too high price we cannot accept”.

He also believes that parts of the platform can be changed but that its foundations are good.

“The platform is a big and important step. We could have reached a couple of years earlier but it is not late now,” the patriarch told Radio Belgrade.

He added that he expected a fair solution to be reached in the dialogue.

“It is unacceptable for the Church to make any kind of border between Serbia and Kosovo,” Irinej stressed.

“We are a part of Europe and there is no dilemma here,” he said and added that “our history and culture are a part of the European history and culture and Serbia is de facto in Europe”.

Irinej said that “surely nobody wants to be outside Europe and we know how much Europe means to us, just like we partially mean something to Europe”.

“But if it comes to choosing between Europe and Kosovo and Metohija, we have no dilemma. If we have to sacrifice Kosovo and Metohija and everything that is located in Kosovo in order to become members of the European community, then it is a too high of a price that no normal people could accept,” he underscored.

Commenting on a possible visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, the patriarch said that he personally believed that the visit would be useful and that “it would not bother anyone”.

“The pope should come to Serbia, that is my personal opinion. Even though there are reasons for the postponement of his visit, it would be good if the meeting and dialogue of the two churches took place. I believe this will happen some day,” Irinej noted.