Parliament adopts Kosovo resolution

The Serbian parliament this evening adopted its Kosovo resolution with 220 votes in favor, 14 against, and three abstained. The document, sent to the parliament yesterday by the government, was supported by the ruling coalition parties, the DS, DSS, NS and G17 Plus, and a part of the opposition, including the SRS and SPS. Parliament adopts Kosovo resolution The LDP and the League of Vojvodina Social-Democrats were against, while lawmakers from the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians abstained during the vote late Wednesday. The MPs also adopted the state Kosovo negotiating team report, with 150 votes in favor, 19 against, and three abstained. President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica addressed the members of parliament earlier in the day to send a message that the Serbian Army is ready to, with approval from relevant international institutions, help and protect the population whose security is jeopardized in Kosovo, but also to criticize the United States' behavior in the crisis. In his speech this afternoon, Tadic said that the negotiations over the southern province's status have been ongoing for the past two years thanks to Belgrade's principled approach, despite constant threats and prognosis that came from various parts that Kosovo would become independent. "After all these rumors Kosovo is still not independent, and this is why Belgade must continue to defend its well-known principles," the president explained. The state will do everything so that Kosovo remains in Serbia and that Serbia continues along the path towards Europe by applying a wise policy, and peaceful and diplomatic means. Tadic called for continued defense of state and national interests in the same manner and with the same persistence, warning that all other approaches to negotiations or changes to the united state policy would lead Serbia and its citizens into risks and uncertainty. The president recalled that Serbia's position in the talks on the future status of Kosovo was productive, that it had the initiative with proposals which opened up the possibility for reaching a compromise that would include the legitimate interests of both the Kosovo Albanians, the Serbs and other non-Albanians, as well as the state of Serbia. "Unfortunately, in that process, we did not have a collocutor on the other side. The Pristina delegation persistently avoided the main topic of the talks - the future status of Kosovo, in an attempt to divert the talks to focus on post-status issues. This is something that we refused to permit even for a single moment," Tadic told the lawmakers. "For us, the sole topic of the negotiations, is the future status of Kosovo and Metohija and the life of people in our province," he noted. "With regards a declaration of a unilateral proclamation of independence of Kosovo, I would like to recall that Pristina has been announcing such acts over the past years. Kosovo's provisional institutions have already adopted such a decision, but it was immediately annulled," Tadic pointed out. "Serbia would immediately declare all such repeated decisions null and void," the president explained, repeating that Serbia will never accept the independence of Kosovo. "The solution to the future status of Kosovo and Metohija should be found within the UN Security Council, just as this UN body should give its agreement to any changes of the composition of the civilian and military mission in the province," Tadic said. If violence erupted in Kosovo and if KFOR were unable to adequately react and protect the Serbs living there, the Serbian Army is prepared to act instantaneously and, with agreement from corresponding international institutions and respecting international law, help and provide protection to the threatened population, Tadic explained. "This resolution on Kosovo and Metohija confirms a united state policy which protects Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and the country's further European integrations," Tadic underscored. "Our state will do everything to secure that Kosovo remains in Serbia and Serbia on its European path, and both principles should be realized through a wise policy, and through peaceful and diplomatic means," Tadic warned. "Isolation from the rest of the world and war can neither preserve Kosovo, nor can they secure economic prospects of the citizens, and security and stability for all our citizens are my, and I hope and want to believe, also your priority tasks," Tadic concluded in his speech to the MPs. In his address to the parliament today, Vojislav Kostunica said that Serbia once and for all rejects all forms of Kosovo's independence, and that this is its "first and final word." Kostunica that the December 19 UN Security Council session, called to debate the Contact Group Troika report on Kosovo talks, the United States and certain European countries prevented Russia's official initiative for the negotiations to continue, thus blocking the activities of the Security Council to reach a compromise solution for the future status of Serbia's southern province. "The western countries, headed by the U.S., have announced that after the presidential elections in Serbia, they would recognize a unilateral independence of Kosovo on the basis of the rejected plan of Martti Ahtisaari," Kostunica said. "Therefore, we find ourselves in the following situation: the U.S. has decided that the negotiations cannot continue, explaining that a compromise cannot be found only for the Kosovo issue. Moreover, the U.S. has decided that this problem, which the UN has started solving via its resolution, should be resolved outside the UN by directly violating UN SC Resolution 1244, the UN Charter and the Final Helsinki Act," the prime minister underscored. "The U.S. is consciously sacrificing the state and national interests of Serbia and the vital interests of the Kosovo Albanians only in order to form a quasi-state creation in which NATO would, as stated in Annex 11 of Ahtisaari's plan, be the ultimate organ of power in an 'independent Kosovo'," Kostunica said. He allowed that "force is on the side of America", but warned that law is on the side of Serbia. "I believe that we all, or almost everyone, share commitment to the position that Serbia rejects, once and for all, all forms of Kosovo's independence and that this is Serbia's first and final word. At this moment, our final line of defense from violence and unilateral independence can be a firm resolution that will be adopted by parliament today," Kostunica stated. "This is also a message to the Kosovo Serbs that they have their own government and their own parliament in Belgrade, that they should be aware that they are equal and fully-fledged citizens of Serbia, and that an illegal act of unilateral independence should be ignored as non-existent." "The fight for Kosovo is the fight to the freedom of Serbia," Kostunica told the lawmakers, adding that "it would be best if we were to agree with the Kosovo Albanians to live peacefully, freely and together, because Kosovo is sufficiently large for the realization of our mutual fundamental interests". "However, the problem is that, apart from the Serb and ethnic Albanian interests, it is clearly impossible to satisfy the American interests, which is why the U.S. is preventing the Kosovo Albanians from moving in the direction of an agreement," Kostunica believes. The prime minister reiterated that Serbia will not give up its search for an agreed solution, and will "much less "give up Kosovo". "We cannot be free either as a nation, or as a state, if Kosovo is not a province within Serbia, as stated in the Constitution," Kostunica said. "The future of Serbia and the fate of Kosovo are irrevocably linked, and this is why it is clear what we should do. For the National Parliament and for all state institutions, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Kosovo and Metohija remains the integral and inalienable part of Serbia. This is our duty which we must fulfill," Kostunica concluded. Tuesday, the cabinet approved a draft resolution on Kosovo and Metohija that is to be debated by parliament this afternoon, cabinet sources told Beta. The draft was finalized following consultations with the parliamentary caucuses. In addition, the cabinet endorsed a report from the national negotiating team for Kosovo dealing with talks held between Aug. 10 and Dec. 10 of this year. The Democratic Party (DS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) on Monday agreed on the text of a resolution on Kosovo, which enables further implementation of the state policy on the matter of the province and on the EU. Democratic Party official and Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told Beta that the meeting had lasted all day, and that a common denominator that allowed for the continuity of state policy had been found in collaboration with Samardzic. Meanwhile late Tuesday it became clear that the resolution on Kosovo proposed by the Serbian negotiating team will receive support from the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Serbia, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and ethnic minority parties, while the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced they considered the document unacceptable. The Serb Radical Party (SRS)and G17 Plus said they would declare their positions at the session. Radicals did not take part in the consultations yesterday, the state television reported. According to Beta, DS whip Nada Kolundzija said that what was important for her party was that the wording of the proposed resolution "did not contain demands to halt Serbia's integration into the European Union, but in fact stated that Serbia should sign every international document that is in the interest of preserving the country's territorial integrity, including the stabilization and association agreement". DSS whip Milos Aligrudic said the resolution expressed Serbia's unity on Kosovo and that there was no change in its desire to be a part of European processes. SPS president Ivica Dacic announced his party's support of the resolution, saying that it contained what the Socialists essentially stand for. On the other hand, LDP leader Cedomir Jovanovic described the resolution as "absolutely unacceptable", because it "puts an end to European policies and jeopardizes Serbia's European perspectives and because it is a threat to the interests of a civic Serbia in its language, character, consequences and the way its message is presented". Jovanovic said his party had submitted to the parliament its own proposal of a resolution on protecting Serbia's European perspective. The parliament in session (Tanjug) Opposition has mixed feelings over resolution Serb Radical Party (SRS) deputy president Tomislav Nikolic on Wednesday announced that the party MPs will vote for the proposed Kosovo resolution, but that they expect clarifications of certain points of the proposed document from the Serbian president and prime minister. Addressing the parliament, Nikolic said he expected that Serbia will not sign agreements with states and organizations that do not recognize it within its internationally recognized borders. "Does this resolution defend Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia, is it a sign that there will be no talks with those who do not recognize that Kosovo and Metohija is a part of Serbia, is it a sign that all the ministers in all the talks will defend Kosovo and Metohija within the borders of Serbia, if it is that sign, we will vote for that resolution with both hands," Nikolic said. President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica "owe an explanation" about the stand in the resolution draft on the protection of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order of Serbia, that deals with the European Union's position on Kosovo and the European integrations of Serbia, Nikolic said. Meanwhile, unlike his colleague from the largest opposition party, the Liberal-Democrats (LDP) leader Cedomir Jovanovic rejected the draft resolution as "insincere" and demanded that this document be withdrawn from parliamentary procedure. Jovanovic said today in parliament that the proposal, "just like all previous resolutions and policies on Kosovo, is an expression of inability of our society to change." He demanded from Kostunica to withdraw the draft resolution. "It [resolution] cannot change the past, for which you are not responsible, but it can destroy the future for which you, the president of the republic and the parliamentary majority are responsible," Jovanovic stated. "In 2000, Serbia chose a path to which this resolution puts a full stop," Jovanovic believes.

Parliament adopts Kosovo resolution

The LDP and the League of Vojvodina Social-Democrats were against, while lawmakers from the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians abstained during the vote late Wednesday.

The MPs also adopted the state Kosovo negotiating team report, with 150 votes in favor, 19 against, and three abstained.

President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica addressed the members of parliament earlier in the day to send a message that the Serbian Army is ready to, with approval from relevant international institutions, help and protect the population whose security is jeopardized in Kosovo, but also to criticize the United States' behavior in the crisis.

In his speech this afternoon, Tadić said that the negotiations over the southern province's status have been ongoing for the past two years thanks to Belgrade's principled approach, despite constant threats and prognosis that came from various parts that Kosovo would become independent.

"After all these rumors Kosovo is still not independent, and this is why Belgade must continue to defend its well-known principles," the president explained.

The state will do everything so that Kosovo remains in Serbia and that Serbia continues along the path towards Europe by applying a wise policy, and peaceful and diplomatic means.

Tadić called for continued defense of state and national interests in the same manner and with the same persistence, warning that all other approaches to negotiations or changes to the united state policy would lead Serbia and its citizens into risks and uncertainty.

The president recalled that Serbia's position in the talks on the future status of Kosovo was productive, that it had the initiative with proposals which opened up the possibility for reaching a compromise that would include the legitimate interests of both the Kosovo Albanians, the Serbs and other non-Albanians, as well as the state of Serbia.

"Unfortunately, in that process, we did not have a collocutor on the other side. The Priština delegation persistently avoided the main topic of the talks - the future status of Kosovo, in an attempt to divert the talks to focus on post-status issues. This is something that we refused to permit even for a single moment," Tadić told the lawmakers.

"For us, the sole topic of the negotiations, is the future status of Kosovo and Metohija and the life of people in our province," he noted.

"With regards a declaration of a unilateral proclamation of independence of Kosovo, I would like to recall that Priština has been announcing such acts over the past years. Kosovo's provisional institutions have already adopted such a decision, but it was immediately annulled," Tadić pointed out.

"Serbia would immediately declare all such repeated decisions null and void," the president explained, repeating that Serbia will never accept the independence of Kosovo.

"The solution to the future status of Kosovo and Metohija should be found within the UN Security Council, just as this UN body should give its agreement to any changes of the composition of the civilian and military mission in the province," Tadić said.

If violence erupted in Kosovo and if KFOR were unable to adequately react and protect the Serbs living there, the Serbian Army is prepared to act instantaneously and, with agreement from corresponding international institutions and respecting international law, help and provide protection to the threatened population, Tadić explained.

"This resolution on Kosovo and Metohija confirms a united state policy which protects Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and the country's further European integrations," Tadić underscored.

"Our state will do everything to secure that Kosovo remains in Serbia and Serbia on its European path, and both principles should be realized through a wise policy, and through peaceful and diplomatic means," Tadić warned.

"Isolation from the rest of the world and war can neither preserve Kosovo, nor can they secure economic prospects of the citizens, and security and stability for all our citizens are my, and I hope and want to believe, also your priority tasks," Tadić concluded in his speech to the MPs.

In his address to the parliament today, Vojislav Koštunica said that Serbia once and for all rejects all forms of Kosovo's independence, and that this is its "first and final word."

Koštunica that the December 19 UN Security Council session, called to debate the Contact Group Troika report on Kosovo talks, the United States and certain European countries prevented Russia's official initiative for the negotiations to continue, thus blocking the activities of the Security Council to reach a compromise solution for the future status of Serbia's southern province.

"The western countries, headed by the U.S., have announced that after the presidential elections in Serbia, they would recognize a unilateral independence of Kosovo on the basis of the rejected plan of Martti Ahtisaari," Koštunica said.

"Therefore, we find ourselves in the following situation: the U.S. has decided that the negotiations cannot continue, explaining that a compromise cannot be found only for the Kosovo issue. Moreover, the U.S. has decided that this problem, which the UN has started solving via its resolution, should be resolved outside the UN by directly violating UN SC Resolution 1244, the UN Charter and the Final Helsinki Act," the prime minister underscored.

"The U.S. is consciously sacrificing the state and national interests of Serbia and the vital interests of the Kosovo Albanians only in order to form a quasi-state creation in which NATO would, as stated in Annex 11 of Ahtisaari's plan, be the ultimate organ of power in an 'independent Kosovo'," Koštunica said.

He allowed that "force is on the side of America", but warned that law is on the side of Serbia.

"I believe that we all, or almost everyone, share commitment to the position that Serbia rejects, once and for all, all forms of Kosovo's independence and that this is Serbia's first and final word. At this moment, our final line of defense from violence and unilateral independence can be a firm resolution that will be adopted by parliament today," Koštunica stated.

"This is also a message to the Kosovo Serbs that they have their own government and their own parliament in Belgrade, that they should be aware that they are equal and fully-fledged citizens of Serbia, and that an illegal act of unilateral independence should be ignored as non-existent."

"The fight for Kosovo is the fight to the freedom of Serbia," Koštunica told the lawmakers, adding that "it would be best if we were to agree with the Kosovo Albanians to live peacefully, freely and together, because Kosovo is sufficiently large for the realization of our mutual fundamental interests".

"However, the problem is that, apart from the Serb and ethnic Albanian interests, it is clearly impossible to satisfy the American interests, which is why the U.S. is preventing the Kosovo Albanians from moving in the direction of an agreement," Koštunica believes.

The prime minister reiterated that Serbia will not give up its search for an agreed solution, and will "much less "give up Kosovo".

"We cannot be free either as a nation, or as a state, if Kosovo is not a province within Serbia, as stated in the Constitution," Koštunica said.

"The future of Serbia and the fate of Kosovo are irrevocably linked, and this is why it is clear what we should do. For the National Parliament and for all state institutions, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Kosovo and Metohija remains the integral and inalienable part of Serbia. This is our duty which we must fulfill," Koštunica concluded.

Tuesday, the cabinet approved a draft resolution on Kosovo and Metohija that is to be debated by parliament this afternoon, cabinet sources told Beta.

The draft was finalized following consultations with the parliamentary caucuses.

In addition, the cabinet endorsed a report from the national negotiating team for Kosovo dealing with talks held between Aug. 10 and Dec. 10 of this year.

The Democratic Party (DS) and the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) on Monday agreed on the text of a resolution on Kosovo, which enables further implementation of the state policy on the matter of the province and on the EU.

Democratic Party official and Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić told Beta that the meeting had lasted all day, and that a common denominator that allowed for the continuity of state policy had been found in collaboration with Samardžić.

Meanwhile late Tuesday it became clear that the resolution on Kosovo proposed by the Serbian negotiating team will receive support from the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Serbia, the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) and ethnic minority parties, while the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) announced they considered the document unacceptable.

The Serb Radical Party (SRS)and G17 Plus said they would declare their positions at the session.

Radicals did not take part in the consultations yesterday, the state television reported.

According to Beta, DS whip Nada Kolundžija said that what was important for her party was that the wording of the proposed resolution "did not contain demands to halt Serbia's integration into the European Union, but in fact stated that Serbia should sign every international document that is in the interest of preserving the country's territorial integrity, including the stabilization and association agreement".

DSS whip Miloš Aligrudić said the resolution expressed Serbia's unity on Kosovo and that there was no change in its desire to be a part of European processes.

SPS president Ivica Dačić announced his party's support of the resolution, saying that it contained what the Socialists essentially stand for.

On the other hand, LDP leader Čedomir Jovanović described the resolution as "absolutely unacceptable", because it "puts an end to European policies and jeopardizes Serbia's European perspectives and because it is a threat to the interests of a civic Serbia in its language, character, consequences and the way its message is presented".

Jovanović said his party had submitted to the parliament its own proposal of a resolution on protecting Serbia's European perspective.

Opposition has mixed feelings over resolution

Serb Radical Party (SRS) deputy president Tomislav Nikolić on Wednesday announced that the party MPs will vote for the proposed Kosovo resolution, but that they expect clarifications of certain points of the proposed document from the Serbian president and prime minister.

Addressing the parliament, Nikolić said he expected that Serbia will not sign agreements with states and organizations that do not recognize it within its internationally recognized borders.

"Does this resolution defend Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia, is it a sign that there will be no talks with those who do not recognize that Kosovo and Metohija is a part of Serbia, is it a sign that all the ministers in all the talks will defend Kosovo and Metohija within the borders of Serbia, if it is that sign, we will vote for that resolution with both hands," Nikolić said.

President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica "owe an explanation" about the stand in the resolution draft on the protection of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order of Serbia, that deals with the European Union's position on Kosovo and the European integrations of Serbia, Nikolić said.

Meanwhile, unlike his colleague from the largest opposition party, the Liberal-Democrats (LDP) leader Čedomir Jovanović rejected the draft resolution as "insincere" and demanded that this document be withdrawn from parliamentary procedure.

Jovanović said today in parliament that the proposal, "just like all previous resolutions and policies on Kosovo, is an expression of inability of our society to change."

He demanded from Koštunica to withdraw the draft resolution.

"It [resolution] cannot change the past, for which you are not responsible, but it can destroy the future for which you, the president of the republic and the parliamentary majority are responsible," Jovanović stated.

"In 2000, Serbia chose a path to which this resolution puts a full stop," Jovanović believes.