"Six-point talks with UN on Tuesday"

Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said that negotiations with the UN and UNMIK will start tomorrow, centering on the implementation of the six-point plan. The plan was agreed on with the United Nations last fall. Kosovo Albanians rejected it, but Belgrade cited it as the reason it had decided to accept EULEX's deployment in Kosovo. However, the plan is yet to be implemented. "Six-point talks with UN on Tuesday" Jeremic told daily Politika in an interview that several months ago there was speculation on whether the talks would take place at all. "Albanians are still saying that this will not happen, but it will. We have insisted and on Tuesday, negotiations will begin on the implementation of the plan that is not Martti Ahtisaari's plan, but UN secretary-general's, which is in collision with the Ahtisaari plan." The minister conceded there was "great resistance in the field". "Albanians are making great pressures, mostly outside the institutions, on the UN representatives, which is very worrying. We will continue to insist before the UN that what was decided by the Security Council be implemented. It's not easy, but we have no other option except to use all diplomatic means to continue to fight for the preservation of the constitutional order," Jeremic said. This, he continued, must not collide with the realization of other foreign policy priorities, such as improved regional cooperation and accelerated EU integration. "Times are hard, but I believe that we will, if we remain steadfast and principled, with support and understanding, perhaps even from the opposition, reach the common goal." Jeremic said that UN Security Council's decision to support the secretary-general's six-point plan formally put behind Ahtisaari's document, which never gained the support of the council. He expressed optimism over the outcome of Serbia's request that the International Court of Justice give its opinion on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration. Jeremic stated that he was convinced that after the court rules that the proclamation was not in line with international law, "the process of consolidation of the unilaterally declared independence will simply be stopped". There will be no new recognitions and with a such a ruling, Kosovo will not become a member of any international organization, he said. "Then there will be finally be space to sit down and agree that, since we have demonstrated that unilateralism does not lead to a solution, having in front of us common, strategic goals, and above all EU integration, we should find a solution acceptable both to Belgrade and Pristina, and therefore possible to be confirmed at the UN SC," said Jeremic. "Huge pressure on 30 countries" Ahead of his trip to New York, where he will meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the foreign minister revealed that he would also be meeting with ambassadors from those countries which, according to him, have been put under "huge pressure" to recognize Kosovo Albanians' declaration in the days of its first anniversary. "At this time," he specified, "there is pressure on some 30 countries, which have not recognized Kosovo and Metohija as an independent state, to do so on the anniversary of the unilateral proclamation." "We are making great efforts to prevent this," said Jeremic, announcing that this will be one of the main topics of his meetings in New York. He said that while Belgrade continues its efforts to stem further recognitions, those who support Kosovo Albanians' declaration are launching "a big offensive". Jeremic said that the pressure comes from the most influential countries that have backed the proclamation, but would not, "in the interest of Serbia's defense", reveal which countries found themselves on the receiving end of that pressure.

"Six-point talks with UN on Tuesday"

Jeremić told daily Politika in an interview that several months ago there was speculation on whether the talks would take place at all.

"Albanians are still saying that this will not happen, but it will. We have insisted and on Tuesday, negotiations will begin on the implementation of the plan that is not Martti Ahtisaari's plan, but UN secretary-general's, which is in collision with the Ahtisaari plan."

The minister conceded there was "great resistance in the field".

"Albanians are making great pressures, mostly outside the institutions, on the UN representatives, which is very worrying. We will continue to insist before the UN that what was decided by the Security Council be implemented. It's not easy, but we have no other option except to use all diplomatic means to continue to fight for the preservation of the constitutional order," Jeremić said.

This, he continued, must not collide with the realization of other foreign policy priorities, such as improved regional cooperation and accelerated EU integration.

"Times are hard, but I believe that we will, if we remain steadfast and principled, with support and understanding, perhaps even from the opposition, reach the common goal."

Jeremić said that UN Security Council's decision to support the secretary-general's six-point plan formally put behind Ahtisaari's document, which never gained the support of the council.

He expressed optimism over the outcome of Serbia's request that the International Court of Justice give its opinion on the legality of the Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration.

Jeremić stated that he was convinced that after the court rules that the proclamation was not in line with international law, "the process of consolidation of the unilaterally declared independence will simply be stopped".

There will be no new recognitions and with a such a ruling, Kosovo will not become a member of any international organization, he said.

"Then there will be finally be space to sit down and agree that, since we have demonstrated that unilateralism does not lead to a solution, having in front of us common, strategic goals, and above all EU integration, we should find a solution acceptable both to Belgrade and Priština, and therefore possible to be confirmed at the UN SC," said Jeremić.

"Huge pressure on 30 countries"

Ahead of his trip to New York, where he will meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the foreign minister revealed that he would also be meeting with ambassadors from those countries which, according to him, have been put under "huge pressure" to recognize Kosovo Albanians' declaration in the days of its first anniversary.

"At this time," he specified, "there is pressure on some 30 countries, which have not recognized Kosovo and Metohija as an independent state, to do so on the anniversary of the unilateral proclamation."

"We are making great efforts to prevent this," said Jeremić, announcing that this will be one of the main topics of his meetings in New York.

He said that while Belgrade continues its efforts to stem further recognitions, those who support Kosovo Albanians' declaration are launching "a big offensive".

Jeremić said that the pressure comes from the most influential countries that have backed the proclamation, but would not, "in the interest of Serbia's defense", reveal which countries found themselves on the receiving end of that pressure.