Tadić addresses MPs ahead of voting

President Boris Tadic said that "confrontation would strip Serbia of any possibility to fight for its national interests and Kosovo". “Serbia, whatever it is like and whoever is leading it, must have good relations with the powerful countries of the world. All other policies lead directly to doom,” Tadic was quoted as saying as he addressed parliament before the vote. Tadic addresses MPs ahead of voting He said that such policies were the obligation of all MPs, minister, and himself as the president. Tadic added that the opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo produced dangerous consequences and enables any acts of secession by any informal group to be considered an act that does not go against international law. He said that such an act can produce instability and a new political movements in the Balkans, Latin America, Africa and the Caucasus. “This is a wandering rock that can hit many countries of the world, and that is why Serbia must show that it is a factor of stability and peace,” Tadic said. He added that there was "no way" Serbia could defend its integrity in Kosovo without good relations with the international community—namely, "the U.S., Russia, India and China". “Without the international community, we cannot find a solution for the Kosovo question. It is impossible in conditions of isolation and confrontation, especially with the greatest powers,” he said. Tadic called on MPs to refrain from blaming Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic for the ICJ’s decision, "because he was not the creating the policy, but only implementing it superbly". The president said that he told all party officials "on many occasions" that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo, but that Serbia wants to solve the problems in a peaceful way, without war. “The solution is not for the Kosovo Albanians to get everything and for the Serbs, the Serbian people and the country of Serbia, to lose everything. I said that this is not a sustainable solution and that it represents sweeping the problems under the carpet,” Tadic said. He said that "no one tried to blackmail or threaten Serbia", after the ICJ gave its advisory opinion, which said UDIs were not prohibited by international law, and were therefore not violating it, but would not declare itself on the right to secession. “Everyone said that we must try to find a realistic solution. We must get Serbia into the EU. We want Serbia to be an important force in creating regional policies,” Tadic said, adding that he was "not hiding anything from Serbia’s citizens". Tadic reminded that he said during the time of the last government, before the Kosovo status negotiations began, that Kosovo was closer to independence than essential autonomy. “I still believe that this is the situation, but that does not mean that we have the right to stop fighting,” he said. Tadic said that he would "never stop fighting for the interest of Serbia in Kosovo", and the interest of all people who want to find a solution of compromise for Kosovo. He said that he wanted to reassure Serbs and non-Albanians in Kosovo that Serbia was not giving up on its fight for Kosovo, that the country care for their interests and would continue to do so. He also addressed ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, stating that Serbia was protecting its legitimate interest, and that it would "never lead a war in Kosovo". Tadic said that Serbia wants to solve the Kosovo problem through peaceful policies and that it was not a time for patriotism, but for great deeds. Just as entering conflicts with the great powers of the world is a direct road to losing Serbia’s integrity in Kosovo, war is an even more direct and faster road to losing Serbia’s right to defend Kosovo forever, said he. Tadic concluded by saying that he was "not insisting on the form of Kosovo negotiations", and explained this remark by saying that he "cares about the essence of reaching Serbia's goal, which is a sustainable solution for Serbia’s integrity, its presence in Kosovo, protecting the Serb people, cultural identity and cultural heritage". On je kazao da ne insistira na formi pregovora o Kosovu, jer ga zanima sustina da se postigne cilj, odrzivo resenje za integritet Srbije, njen ostanak na Kosovu i Metohiji, zastitu srpskog naroda, kulturnog identiteta i kulturne bastine. Tadic in parliament (Beta)

Tadić addresses MPs ahead of voting

He said that such policies were the obligation of all MPs, minister, and himself as the president.

Tadić added that the opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo produced dangerous consequences and enables any acts of secession by any informal group to be considered an act that does not go against international law.

He said that such an act can produce instability and a new political movements in the Balkans, Latin America, Africa and the Caucasus.

“This is a wandering rock that can hit many countries of the world, and that is why Serbia must show that it is a factor of stability and peace,” Tadić said.

He added that there was "no way" Serbia could defend its integrity in Kosovo without good relations with the international community—namely, "the U.S., Russia, India and China".

“Without the international community, we cannot find a solution for the Kosovo question. It is impossible in conditions of isolation and confrontation, especially with the greatest powers,” he said.

Tadić called on MPs to refrain from blaming Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić for the ICJ’s decision, "because he was not the creating the policy, but only implementing it superbly".

The president said that he told all party officials "on many occasions" that Serbia will never recognize Kosovo, but that Serbia wants to solve the problems in a peaceful way, without war.

“The solution is not for the Kosovo Albanians to get everything and for the Serbs, the Serbian people and the country of Serbia, to lose everything. I said that this is not a sustainable solution and that it represents sweeping the problems under the carpet,” Tadić said.

He said that "no one tried to blackmail or threaten Serbia", after the ICJ gave its advisory opinion, which said UDIs were not prohibited by international law, and were therefore not violating it, but would not declare itself on the right to secession.

“Everyone said that we must try to find a realistic solution. We must get Serbia into the EU. We want Serbia to be an important force in creating regional policies,” Tadić said, adding that he was "not hiding anything from Serbia’s citizens".

Tadić reminded that he said during the time of the last government, before the Kosovo status negotiations began, that Kosovo was closer to independence than essential autonomy.

“I still believe that this is the situation, but that does not mean that we have the right to stop fighting,” he said.

Tadić said that he would "never stop fighting for the interest of Serbia in Kosovo", and the interest of all people who want to find a solution of compromise for Kosovo.

He said that he wanted to reassure Serbs and non-Albanians in Kosovo that Serbia was not giving up on its fight for Kosovo, that the country care for their interests and would continue to do so.

He also addressed ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, stating that Serbia was protecting its legitimate interest, and that it would "never lead a war in Kosovo".

Tadić said that Serbia wants to solve the Kosovo problem through peaceful policies and that it was not a time for patriotism, but for great deeds.

Just as entering conflicts with the great powers of the world is a direct road to losing Serbia’s integrity in Kosovo, war is an even more direct and faster road to losing Serbia’s right to defend Kosovo forever, said he.

Tadić concluded by saying that he was "not insisting on the form of Kosovo negotiations", and explained this remark by saying that he "cares about the essence of reaching Serbia's goal, which is a sustainable solution for Serbia’s integrity, its presence in Kosovo, protecting the Serb people, cultural identity and cultural heritage".

On je kazao da ne insistira na formi pregovora o Kosovu, jer ga zanima suština da se postigne cilj, održivo rešenje za integritet Srbije, njen ostanak na Kosovu i Metohiji, zaštitu srpskog naroda, kulturnog identiteta i kulturne baštine.