Resolution confirms state policy, constitution

The Serbian parliament adopted a resolution on Kosovo late last night after almost nine hours of debate. In addition, the report of the state negotiation team for the talks led by the international mediating Troika was also adopted. Resolution confirms state policy, constitution The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and League of Social Democrats (LSV) voted against the resolution, while the Association of Vojvodina Hungarians did not vote. Even though all opposition parties severely criticized the resolution, both the Serb Radical Party (SRS) and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) voted in favor of it. Right before the voting was held, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica gave a explanation of one of the points of the resolution that was debated most by the public and parliament. “Serbia can access all international agreements, including the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the way Serbia is defined in the constitution, as a whole. Not crippled, but whole. This is clearly stated in the resolution,” Kostunica said. Speaking of relations with the European Union and the stance of the European countries regarding Kosovo, Kostunica said that a EU mission cannot replace UNMIK without approval from the United Nations Security Council. President Boris Tadic commended the work of the negotiation team and said that he supports a continuation of talks regarding Kosovo’s status. He said that Serbia will never accept Kosovo independence and that if violence occurs in Kosovo, and KFOR is not able to stop it, Serbia will send its military, with the approval of the international institutions, to help the endangered people in Kosovo. Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic believes that the Kosovo resolution adopted Wednesday confirms Serbia's state policy. Beta news agency reported the document – passed by the cabinet and sent to parliament for adoption – verified state policy on the most important issues - the preservation of Serbia's territorial integrity and its path to Europe. "I think that this is a time when the most important thing is to maintain state unity, a clear and firm policy on top priorities, which is primarily the preservation of territorial integrity and the continuation of EU integrations," Jeremic told reporters in the parliament during a debate on the Kosovo resolution yesterday. He pointed out that Kostunica had touched on the U.S. policy on Kosovo, and had said that it was "no secret" that the U.S. administration and the Serbian government held very different and opposed views on the future status of Kosovo. Jeremic also said that Serbia's foreign policy remained unchanged, and had been defined in the prime minister's speech when forming the current Serbian government. Jeremic stressed that when it came to Kosovo Serbia would continue to fiercely oppose U.S. policy, "for as long as it remains as it is now." Asked whether the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU made any mention of Kosovo, Jeremic said that it was mentioned in the preamble, along with a statement that Kosovo was under international administration defined by UN Security Council 1244, and that the future status of Kosovo would be in line with that resolution. "That is one of the elements demonstrating that the Stabilization and Association Agreement serves the purpose of preserving territorial integrity," he said. Serbian parliament meets Wednesday (FoNet)

Resolution confirms state policy, constitution

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and League of Social Democrats (LSV) voted against the resolution, while the Association of Vojvodina Hungarians did not vote.

Even though all opposition parties severely criticized the resolution, both the Serb Radical Party (SRS) and Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) voted in favor of it.

Right before the voting was held, Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica gave a explanation of one of the points of the resolution that was debated most by the public and parliament.

“Serbia can access all international agreements, including the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the way Serbia is defined in the constitution, as a whole. Not crippled, but whole. This is clearly stated in the resolution,” Koštunica said.

Speaking of relations with the European Union and the stance of the European countries regarding Kosovo, Koštunica said that a EU mission cannot replace UNMIK without approval from the United Nations Security Council.

President Boris Tadić commended the work of the negotiation team and said that he supports a continuation of talks regarding Kosovo’s status.

He said that Serbia will never accept Kosovo independence and that if violence occurs in Kosovo, and KFOR is not able to stop it, Serbia will send its military, with the approval of the international institutions, to help the endangered people in Kosovo.

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić believes that the Kosovo resolution adopted Wednesday confirms Serbia's state policy.

Beta news agency reported the document – passed by the cabinet and sent to parliament for adoption – verified state policy on the most important issues - the preservation of Serbia's territorial integrity and its path to Europe.

"I think that this is a time when the most important thing is to maintain state unity, a clear and firm policy on top priorities, which is primarily the preservation of territorial integrity and the continuation of EU integrations," Jeremić told reporters in the parliament during a debate on the Kosovo resolution yesterday.

He pointed out that Koštunica had touched on the U.S. policy on Kosovo, and had said that it was "no secret" that the U.S. administration and the Serbian government held very different and opposed views on the future status of Kosovo.

Jeremić also said that Serbia's foreign policy remained unchanged, and had been defined in the prime minister's speech when forming the current Serbian government.

Jeremić stressed that when it came to Kosovo Serbia would continue to fiercely oppose U.S. policy, "for as long as it remains as it is now."

Asked whether the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU made any mention of Kosovo, Jeremić said that it was mentioned in the preamble, along with a statement that Kosovo was under international administration defined by UN Security Council 1244, and that the future status of Kosovo would be in line with that resolution.

"That is one of the elements demonstrating that the Stabilization and Association Agreement serves the purpose of preserving territorial integrity," he said.