Tadić: EULEX solution not at hand

President Boris Tadic said on Wednesday that he cannot see a way for Serbia to take part in the EULEX deployment process without a UN solution. Tadic spoke to reporters in Belgrade after a judicial system reform debate, to repeat Belgrade's position that "all missions are welcome in Kosovo if they do not implement the Ahtisaari plan, if they are status-neutral and have a UN Security Council approval". Tadic: EULEX solution not at hand The first step in which the state is taking part is in talks with UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier, on whether agreement can be reached on the six points of reconfiguration defined by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he continued. "Without a UN solution I cannot at all see any possibility for Serbia to further take part in that process. If we get a solution with the UN on those six points that concern the concrete livelihoods of our people and the status of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija, it is possible to achieve a solution at the UN SC as well, and I believe, also when it comes to the EULEX deployment in Kosovo and Metohija," Tadic was quoted as saying. However, he appraised that a solution is still not at hand. "I have said it very clearly what the red lines are for the state of Serbia, and what Serbia is ready for in order to reach a compromise solution in the debate on the reconfiguration of the civilian presence in Kosovo," Tadic said. He also said that Belgrade's representatives on other levels, "not myself", are talking to Zannier and UN officials, adding that these are not secret talks. Tadic speaks in Belgrade on Wednesday (Tanjug) "EULEX welcome if status-neutral" Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac said on Wednesday that the EU mission can deploy in Kosovo only if it is "status-neutral". Speaking to reporters while touring a Serbian Army (VS) military base near the southern town of Kursumlija, he said that the main condition for Belgrade to agree to the deployment of EULEX is that the mission respects international law and the territorial integrity of Serbia. Sutanovac also said that "principled position and respect of international law" are the hallmarks of Serbia's diplomatic defense of Kosovo. The defense chief said that Serbia insists on respect of UN SC Resolution 1244, adding that any mission in Kosovo must be neutral in terms of the province's status. He explained that this means that such a mission cannot recognize the illegal Kosovo independence declaration and is not allowed to implement the Ahtisaari plan, which was not adopted by the UN Security Council and was rejected by Serbia. Sutanovac said that EULEX is welcome to work in Kosovo if it agrees to these conditions. Commenting on the military, he said that professional Serbian soldiers will be moving into the Cepotin base near Bujanovac before the winter. He said that the base is very important for maintaining security in the south. The minister also addressed the issue of an agreement related to information security, signed recently with NATO, to say that at this point, "that is enough in terms of Serbia’s level of cooperation with the alliance". “There are developed countries that are members of the EU, such as Sweden and Austria, that are not NATO members, so we do not have to be either,” Sutanovac said. But, he pointed out that "if Serbia wants to be a partner to countries in the Partnership for Peace, it has to behave like one and not only when it stands to receive some benefits". Sutanovac said complete professionalization of the military is "a project that must be achieved" – and that support from all segments of society is needed in order to achieve this. “It is very important that this process begins in the near future… the society, and the state have said that they want the Serbian military to be completely professional by the end of 2010,” Sutanovac said. Earlier in the day, the minister told journalists at the Susnjar army base that security on the administrative line with Kosovo is stable. Ahe said the visit had been organized as a sign of support to troops, but also so that he could see for himself that the soldiers were performing their tasks responsibly. "The situation is fine, and the army is carrying out its regular activities. I hope the situation will remain like that throughout the winter and I don’t expect any destabilization or jeopardizing of security in the Third Brigade’s area of responsibility,” the minister said. Sutanovac added that he would be meeting during the day with representatives of several municipalities next to the administrative border with Kosovo, as well as with the Toplica region’s self-government representatives. He said that the goal of these meetings was to raise army-civil cooperation to the highest level, and see how the Serbian Army could help local self-governments that were facing major infrastructure problems.

Tadić: EULEX solution not at hand

The first step in which the state is taking part is in talks with UNMIK chief Lamberto Zannier, on whether agreement can be reached on the six points of reconfiguration defined by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, he continued.

"Without a UN solution I cannot at all see any possibility for Serbia to further take part in that process. If we get a solution with the UN on those six points that concern the concrete livelihoods of our people and the status of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija, it is possible to achieve a solution at the UN SC as well, and I believe, also when it comes to the EULEX deployment in Kosovo and Metohija," Tadić was quoted as saying.

However, he appraised that a solution is still not at hand.

"I have said it very clearly what the red lines are for the state of Serbia, and what Serbia is ready for in order to reach a compromise solution in the debate on the reconfiguration of the civilian presence in Kosovo," Tadić said.

He also said that Belgrade's representatives on other levels, "not myself", are talking to Zannier and UN officials, adding that these are not secret talks.

"EULEX welcome if status-neutral"

Defense Minister Dragan Šutanovac said on Wednesday that the EU mission can deploy in Kosovo only if it is "status-neutral".

Speaking to reporters while touring a Serbian Army (VS) military base near the southern town of Kuršumlija, he said that the main condition for Belgrade to agree to the deployment of EULEX is that the mission respects international law and the territorial integrity of Serbia.

Šutanovac also said that "principled position and respect of international law" are the hallmarks of Serbia's diplomatic defense of Kosovo.

The defense chief said that Serbia insists on respect of UN SC Resolution 1244, adding that any mission in Kosovo must be neutral in terms of the province's status.

He explained that this means that such a mission cannot recognize the illegal Kosovo independence declaration and is not allowed to implement the Ahtisaari plan, which was not adopted by the UN Security Council and was rejected by Serbia.

Šutanovac said that EULEX is welcome to work in Kosovo if it agrees to these conditions.

Commenting on the military, he said that professional Serbian soldiers will be moving into the Cepotin base near Bujanovac before the winter.

He said that the base is very important for maintaining security in the south.

The minister also addressed the issue of an agreement related to information security, signed recently with NATO, to say that at this point, "that is enough in terms of Serbia’s level of cooperation with the alliance".

“There are developed countries that are members of the EU, such as Sweden and Austria, that are not NATO members, so we do not have to be either,” Šutanovac said.

But, he pointed out that "if Serbia wants to be a partner to countries in the Partnership for Peace, it has to behave like one and not only when it stands to receive some benefits".

Šutanovac said complete professionalization of the military is "a project that must be achieved" – and that support from all segments of society is needed in order to achieve this.

“It is very important that this process begins in the near future… the society, and the state have said that they want the Serbian military to be completely professional by the end of 2010,” Šutanovac said.

Earlier in the day, the minister told journalists at the Šušnjar army base that security on the administrative line with Kosovo is stable.

Ahe said the visit had been organized as a sign of support to troops, but also so that he could see for himself that the soldiers were performing their tasks responsibly.

"The situation is fine, and the army is carrying out its regular activities. I hope the situation will remain like that throughout the winter and I don’t expect any destabilization or jeopardizing of security in the Third Brigade’s area of responsibility,” the minister said.

Šutanovac added that he would be meeting during the day with representatives of several municipalities next to the administrative border with Kosovo, as well as with the Toplica region’s self-government representatives.

He said that the goal of these meetings was to raise army-civil cooperation to the highest level, and see how the Serbian Army could help local self-governments that were facing major infrastructure problems.