President wants "historic Kosovo solution"

A solution for the Serbian-Albanian conflict cannot be a scenario in which Serbia will recognize Kosovo's independence, said Serbian President Boris Tadic. He believes that the solution must not be such that one side wins everything while the other loses everything. President wants "historic Kosovo solution" The Serbian president told Pristina-based TV station Klan Kosova that he hoped the introductory phase of the ongoing talks between Serbia and Kosovo would be followed by a search for that essential solution to the underlying conflict. “Any agreement between Serbs and Albanians has to be legitimized by acceptance from both sides. Representatives of the people cannot accept an agreement rejected by the people themselves. However, those representatives are allowed to bravely step forward with ideas that might not be appealing to the whole people, but which could be accepted in the end through a referendum,“ he argued. Tadic refused to give any actual suggestions, explaining that it would not be wise at the moment. “There are models that have already been implemented, as well as the possibility of the two sides coming up with a new type of solution,“ he added. "It is not wise or purposeful right now to give actual proposals for a political solution, because we would not reach that solution then, and I think that it is wiser now to address technical issues and avoid politics," he noted, claiming he was prepared to take responsibility and offer possible solutions, but only once the time was right. The president stressed that he could not give up on protecting the interest of the Serbs in Kosovo who did not wish to be integrated into the unilaterally declared state of Kosovo. “I cannot search for a practical solution without taking into account the existing reality. Because if I denied the opinion of Serbs in Kosovo I would be acting like Milosevic who, before the conflict broke out, denied the opinion of Albanians, who didn't want to live under Serbia's sovereign roof even before the conflict,“ he pointed out. When asked why he did not apologize to Kosovo Albanians for the crimes that had been committed against them during Milosevic's rule, Tadic said that both sides needed to face the crimes before he could apologize. “There are serious investigations into the crimes on both sides. Words of apology should be a part of a political process and should have a purpose. The purpose is reconciliation. We will come to those words in the end but in the meantime it is necessary to have the investigation about everything that happened and to have court proceedings that will lead us into a legal status,“ the Serbian president stressed. Repeating that those in power had always used force during the century-long conflict between Serbs and Albanians, he said that this needed to end. “I believe that such policy needs to disappear instantly and that all crimes need to be individual and that everybody who committed crimes needs to be convicted. It is of crucial importance that all crimes are investigated and not only those of one side and not only crimes of one kind of politicians or participants in those events, that way we can reconcile and enable people to have a better life,“ Tadic stressed. “EU integration is a requirement needed to achieve long-term peace and reconciliation in the Balkans, but it is no cure-all, and Belgrade and Pristina have to settle some of their problems on their own,“ the Serbian president concluded. Boris Tadic (Beta, file)

President wants "historic Kosovo solution"

The Serbian president told Priština-based TV station Klan Kosova that he hoped the introductory phase of the ongoing talks between Serbia and Kosovo would be followed by a search for that essential solution to the underlying conflict.

“Any agreement between Serbs and Albanians has to be legitimized by acceptance from both sides. Representatives of the people cannot accept an agreement rejected by the people themselves. However, those representatives are allowed to bravely step forward with ideas that might not be appealing to the whole people, but which could be accepted in the end through a referendum,“ he argued.

Tadić refused to give any actual suggestions, explaining that it would not be wise at the moment.

“There are models that have already been implemented, as well as the possibility of the two sides coming up with a new type of solution,“ he added.

"It is not wise or purposeful right now to give actual proposals for a political solution, because we would not reach that solution then, and I think that it is wiser now to address technical issues and avoid politics," he noted, claiming he was prepared to take responsibility and offer possible solutions, but only once the time was right.

The president stressed that he could not give up on protecting the interest of the Serbs in Kosovo who did not wish to be integrated into the unilaterally declared state of Kosovo.

“I cannot search for a practical solution without taking into account the existing reality. Because if I denied the opinion of Serbs in Kosovo I would be acting like Milošević who, before the conflict broke out, denied the opinion of Albanians, who didn't want to live under Serbia's sovereign roof even before the conflict,“ he pointed out.

When asked why he did not apologize to Kosovo Albanians for the crimes that had been committed against them during Milošević's rule, Tadić said that both sides needed to face the crimes before he could apologize.

“There are serious investigations into the crimes on both sides. Words of apology should be a part of a political process and should have a purpose. The purpose is reconciliation. We will come to those words in the end but in the meantime it is necessary to have the investigation about everything that happened and to have court proceedings that will lead us into a legal status,“ the Serbian president stressed.

Repeating that those in power had always used force during the century-long conflict between Serbs and Albanians, he said that this needed to end.

“I believe that such policy needs to disappear instantly and that all crimes need to be individual and that everybody who committed crimes needs to be convicted. It is of crucial importance that all crimes are investigated and not only those of one side and not only crimes of one kind of politicians or participants in those events, that way we can reconcile and enable people to have a better life,“ Tadić stressed.

“EU integration is a requirement needed to achieve long-term peace and reconciliation in the Balkans, but it is no cure-all, and Belgrade and Priština have to settle some of their problems on their own,“ the Serbian president concluded.