Tadić: We won't accept blackmail

President Boris Tadic said in Berlin on Thursday that "nobody can condition Serbia's EU integration with her recognition of Kosovo". Tadic also told reporters that he expects the International Court of Justice, ICJ, to declare itself "in favor of Serbia's legitimate interests". Tadic: We won't accept blackmail The UN General Assembly will on Oct. 8 decide whether to send Belgrade's resolution on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence to the ICJ. The president also acknowledged as "fact" that there are politicians in Europe who think Serbia cannot join the EU without recognizing Kosovo first. "We are taking into consideration pressures and threats, but we are behaving rationally. Neither myself nor the political structure that I represent can be blackmailed, that we cannot join the EU without recognizing Kosovo," he said. Tadic also told reporters that he expects German and EU position on the ICJ initiative to be "utterly fair". "Any other decision would be completely outside the realm of logic," he was quoted as saying. The president added that he believed "everyone will wish to support the resolution, in order to see what the ICJ answer will be". Yesterday, Tadic spoke with German President Horst Koehler, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier about Kosovo, the situation in the Balkans, Serbia’s European perspective and bilateral issues. Even though Tadic and Merkel shared their confidence that Serbia had a clear European perspective, neither concealed their differences in their respective approaches to resolving the Kosovo problem. Merkel said Germany would continue to support the activation of the interim agreement and the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia, as well as Serbia's candidacy for admission to the EU, when these issues come on the agenda. She continued that Germany was fully convinced that the new Serbian government was doing everything it can to successfully continue and finalize cooperation with the Hague tribunal, stressing that Berlin would continue to advocate this stand in future talks within the EU. Merkel added that the stands of Germany and Serbia on Kosovo remained different, but stressed that this did not affect the quality of the relations between Berlin and Belgrade. She said further that Germany and other EU countries "are just now working" on determining a stand on Serbia's initiative to seek from the International Court of Justice an opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence, on which the UN General Assembly is to vote next week. Speaking to journalists, Tadic said he had informed Merkel in detail about Serbia's initiative in the UN and stressed that "Belgrade's intention is to take the issue from the political into the legal sphere, which should ensure political stability." The president stressed that there were no changes in Serbia's position on Kosovo. Asked whether Serbia was now advocating a partition of Kosovo, Tadic replied that this was "a misinterpretation". He also said that EULEX was welcome in Kosovo, but on three conditions: the mission should have UN Security Council authorization; there should be no application of the Ahtisaari Plan; and the mission should have neutral status. On Friday in Berlin, Tadic will be handed the Quadriga Award, which is presented on German Unity Day, October 3, every year to individuals for their “vision, courage, responsibility and engagement that make the world a better place”. The award is sponsored by the German Workshop Association, whose members are renowned German politicians, businessmen and artists. Tadic will receive the award from Austrian President Heinz Fischer. Koehler, Tadic in Berlin yesterday (Beta)

Tadić: We won't accept blackmail

The UN General Assembly will on Oct. 8 decide whether to send Belgrade's resolution on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence to the ICJ.

The president also acknowledged as "fact" that there are politicians in Europe who think Serbia cannot join the EU without recognizing Kosovo first.

"We are taking into consideration pressures and threats, but we are behaving rationally. Neither myself nor the political structure that I represent can be blackmailed, that we cannot join the EU without recognizing Kosovo," he said.

Tadić also told reporters that he expects German and EU position on the ICJ initiative to be "utterly fair".

"Any other decision would be completely outside the realm of logic," he was quoted as saying.

The president added that he believed "everyone will wish to support the resolution, in order to see what the ICJ answer will be".

Yesterday, Tadić spoke with German President Horst Koehler, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier about Kosovo, the situation in the Balkans, Serbia’s European perspective and bilateral issues.

Even though Tadić and Merkel shared their confidence that Serbia had a clear European perspective, neither concealed their differences in their respective approaches to resolving the Kosovo problem.

Merkel said Germany would continue to support the activation of the interim agreement and the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia, as well as Serbia's candidacy for admission to the EU, when these issues come on the agenda.

She continued that Germany was fully convinced that the new Serbian government was doing everything it can to successfully continue and finalize cooperation with the Hague tribunal, stressing that Berlin would continue to advocate this stand in future talks within the EU.

Merkel added that the stands of Germany and Serbia on Kosovo remained different, but stressed that this did not affect the quality of the relations between Berlin and Belgrade.

She said further that Germany and other EU countries "are just now working" on determining a stand on Serbia's initiative to seek from the International Court of Justice an opinion on the legality of Kosovo's independence, on which the UN General Assembly is to vote next week.

Speaking to journalists, Tadić said he had informed Merkel in detail about Serbia's initiative in the UN and stressed that "Belgrade's intention is to take the issue from the political into the legal sphere, which should ensure political stability."

The president stressed that there were no changes in Serbia's position on Kosovo. Asked whether Serbia was now advocating a partition of Kosovo, Tadić replied that this was "a misinterpretation".

He also said that EULEX was welcome in Kosovo, but on three conditions: the mission should have UN Security Council authorization; there should be no application of the Ahtisaari Plan; and the mission should have neutral status.

On Friday in Berlin, Tadić will be handed the Quadriga Award, which is presented on German Unity Day, October 3, every year to individuals for their “vision, courage, responsibility and engagement that make the world a better place”.

The award is sponsored by the German Workshop Association, whose members are renowned German politicians, businessmen and artists.

Tadić will receive the award from Austrian President Heinz Fischer.