Serbia's diplomatic offensive under way

Boris Tadic said Monday upcoming talks between Belgrade and Pristina are a chance to reach a compromise over Kosovo. "I believe that on September 28, we’ll broach some themes that we have not thus far discussed together with the Kosovo Albanian side’s representatives, and I think we have a chance of finding a compromise," said the president in New York. Serbia's diplomatic offensive under way "There is more will and a more open approach to a compromise solution for Kosovo," Tadic noted and added that Europe harbured "great expectations" of reaching an agreement over the province's future status. "The talks will be extremely difficult, the first direct talks in this new round," he said, and stressed that Belgrade's main message would be that Serbia did not wish to abandon its sovereignty and territorial integrity over Kosovo, but that it wished to reach a compromise solution. Tadic and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, in New York for the 61st annual session of the UN General Assembly, started off with meetings with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, and a series of bilateral conversations ahead of the direct talks with Pristina on Friday. Jeremic told B92 that "Belgrade’s diplomatic offensive is focused on the permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as the EU countries and the members of the Contact Group." "We can consider all this as an excellent opportunity for a new phase in the diplomatic offensive that we’ve been undertaking in the past few weeks and months," he said. Jeremic says that there was room for mild optimism since there are "steady signs of convergence to support a process that can result in a compromise solution." "I think we should do everything for the momentum of that convergence to be increased and it will be, of course, the primary focus of the Serbian delegation’s attention," said Jeremic. Over the next few days the president and the foreign minister will have over thirty bilateral encounters with the leading statesmen of a series of countries. Belgrade’s diplomatic activities will culminate with direct talks with Pristina's representatives. As far as the Serbian state delegation is concerned, that meeting should serve to clarify the theme of the talks. Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic said yesterday that as far as Belgrade was concerned there was only one issue at stake – Kosovo’s status – while the problem was that Pristina did not view status as open to discussion. Boris Tadic (Tanjug, archive) Kostunica: Imposing solutions on Serbia - impossible Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica stated today that “the part of the international community that believes it’s possible to impose a solution on Serbia is gravely mistaken.” “What is of the utmost importance at the moment, is that everyone with a responsible approach to the settlement process of Kosovo’s future status takes into account the fact that unilateral independence is neither applicable nor sustainable,” he added. “It is necessary that in New York, all three parties, first and foremost the international community, clearly commit to supporting only a solution reach by agreement, and pledge not to adhere to unilateral moves,” argued the prime minister. According to Kostunica, such an accord would open the door for a compromise with the capacity to guarantee long-term stability in the region.

Serbia's diplomatic offensive under way

"There is more will and a more open approach to a compromise solution for Kosovo," Tadić noted and added that Europe harbured "great expectations" of reaching an agreement over the province's future status.

"The talks will be extremely difficult, the first direct talks in this new round," he said, and stressed that Belgrade's main message would be that Serbia did not wish to abandon its sovereignty and territorial integrity over Kosovo, but that it wished to reach a compromise solution.

Tadić and Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, in New York for the 61st annual session of the UN General Assembly, started off with meetings with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, and a series of bilateral conversations ahead of the direct talks with Priština on Friday.

Jeremić told B92 that "Belgrade’s diplomatic offensive is focused on the permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as the EU countries and the members of the Contact Group."

"We can consider all this as an excellent opportunity for a new phase in the diplomatic offensive that we’ve been undertaking in the past few weeks and months," he said.

Jeremić says that there was room for mild optimism since there are "steady signs of convergence to support a process that can result in a compromise solution."

"I think we should do everything for the momentum of that convergence to be increased and it will be, of course, the primary focus of the Serbian delegation’s attention," said Jeremić.

Over the next few days the president and the foreign minister will have over thirty bilateral encounters with the leading statesmen of a series of countries. Belgrade’s diplomatic activities will culminate with direct talks with Priština's representatives.

As far as the Serbian state delegation is concerned, that meeting should serve to clarify the theme of the talks.

Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić said yesterday that as far as Belgrade was concerned there was only one issue at stake – Kosovo’s status – while the problem was that Priština did not view status as open to discussion.

Koštunica: Imposing solutions on Serbia - impossible

Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica stated today that “the part of the international community that believes it’s possible to impose a solution on Serbia is gravely mistaken.”

“What is of the utmost importance at the moment, is that everyone with a responsible approach to the settlement process of Kosovo’s future status takes into account the fact that unilateral independence is neither applicable nor sustainable,” he added.

“It is necessary that in New York, all three parties, first and foremost the international community, clearly commit to supporting only a solution reach by agreement, and pledge not to adhere to unilateral moves,” argued the prime minister.

According to Koštunica, such an accord would open the door for a compromise with the capacity to guarantee long-term stability in the region.