Jeremić voices optimism, warns Montenegro

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic says he is optimistic ahead of the UN General Assembly voting on Serbia's ICJ initiative on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in Belgrade today after a meeting with his Estonian counterpart Urmas Paet, Jeremic also warned that a recognition of Kosovo by Montenegro would be "a stab in the back not only for Serbia, but also for the diplomatic efforts to settle the future status of Kosovo". Jeremic voices optimism, warns Montenegro “We would not see it in any other way but for what it would be, and that is a stab in the back not only for Serbia, but for our diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful and legal solution to the future status of our southern province of Kosovo,“ the minister said. Serbia “absolutely will not sit idle“ if Podgorica recognizes Kosovo, he continued. “That cannot go without consequences, especially not at this time. We do not want to make any threats to anyone, even though everyone in the region knows what that would mean. The Montenegrin government is well aware,“ he added. Jeremic said that Serbia told Montenegrin officials in “a clear way“ that “there will be no understanding towards their potential decision to violate Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity“. “We've lived in the same country for a long time and we know each other too well, to give any additional explanations. We hope that Podgorica will not take a step that will disturb this peaceful, diplomatic process which is going through a very important phase, and the most important point of the phase will be the voting on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly,“ Jeremic said. “There are only two days left, and after that about a year or two until the court makes a decision. In that period, we simply cannot have any understanding for a possible step by Podgorica towards recognizing Kosovo's independence,“ he said, adding that Podgorica should postpone making a decision until the ICJ gives its opinion. The minister also said that he is optimistic that the UN General Assembly will give the go ahead to Serbia’s initiative for asking the International Court of Justice for its opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence. “If the resolution is adopted, there is nothing that can stop our initiative,“ Jeremic said. The foreign minister added that he expects a heated debate at the UN session, but repeated is an optimist with regards to the outcome of the vote. "I expect the debate to be much more difficult than the one before the UN General Committee. I expect the countries which oppose the initiative to be strongly against, while those who back us to be strongly in favor," Jeremic said. "I hope for the best outcome for Serbia and there are reasons for optimism," he added. Jeremic, who is leaving for New York today to head the Serbian delegation at the Oct. 8 UN General Assembly meeting, stated that before the session he would hold some 20 bilateral meetings, mainly with representatives of those countries that back Serbia's request. Jeremic speaks to journalists in Belgrade on Monday (Tanjug)

Jeremić voices optimism, warns Montenegro

“We would not see it in any other way but for what it would be, and that is a stab in the back not only for Serbia, but for our diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful and legal solution to the future status of our southern province of Kosovo,“ the minister said.

Serbia “absolutely will not sit idle“ if Podgorica recognizes Kosovo, he continued.

“That cannot go without consequences, especially not at this time. We do not want to make any threats to anyone, even though everyone in the region knows what that would mean. The Montenegrin government is well aware,“ he added.

Jeremić said that Serbia told Montenegrin officials in “a clear way“ that “there will be no understanding towards their potential decision to violate Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity“.

“We've lived in the same country for a long time and we know each other too well, to give any additional explanations. We hope that Podgorica will not take a step that will disturb this peaceful, diplomatic process which is going through a very important phase, and the most important point of the phase will be the voting on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly,“ Jeremić said.

“There are only two days left, and after that about a year or two until the court makes a decision. In that period, we simply cannot have any understanding for a possible step by Podgorica towards recognizing Kosovo's independence,“ he said, adding that Podgorica should postpone making a decision until the ICJ gives its opinion.

The minister also said that he is optimistic that the UN General Assembly will give the go ahead to Serbia’s initiative for asking the International Court of Justice for its opinion on the legality of Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence.

“If the resolution is adopted, there is nothing that can stop our initiative,“ Jeremić said.

The foreign minister added that he expects a heated debate at the UN session, but repeated is an optimist with regards to the outcome of the vote.

"I expect the debate to be much more difficult than the one before the UN General Committee. I expect the countries which oppose the initiative to be strongly against, while those who back us to be strongly in favor," Jeremić said.

"I hope for the best outcome for Serbia and there are reasons for optimism," he added.

Jeremić, who is leaving for New York today to head the Serbian delegation at the Oct. 8 UN General Assembly meeting, stated that before the session he would hold some 20 bilateral meetings, mainly with representatives of those countries that back Serbia's request.