President: New declaration on Kosovo not necessary

Serbia’s President Boris Tadic said Sunday that a new parliamentary declaration on Kosovo was not necessary. He explained that the new declaration was not necessary because a framework for the policy on Kosovo was provided by previous declarations. President: New declaration on Kosovo not necessary "If there is no declaration, it is not the end of the world - it would be good if it passed, but it is not necessary," he told Belgrade-based Prva TV. Tadic said the current generation of politicians had a duty to find a solution for the Kosovo problem, even if it would not satisfy all Serbian citizens. "I would like it if someone else were to blame for the fact that nobody can be satisfied with the solution for Kosovo, but we need to accomplish something," the president stressed, adding that, as time passed, Serbia's chances of getting something in Kosovo were becoming slimmer and slimmer. “In the past there was a consensus regarding Kosovo on the Serbian political scene because no decisions were being made, but today we must make decisions, so disagreements arise, even within the ruling coalition,” he explained. Pointing out that in 1999 Serbia fought a war with NATO over Kosovo, Tadic said that questioning the decisions of the major powers, i.e. the consequences of the war, inevitably lead to a more aggressive approach from these powers toward Serbia. He explained that Kosovo would remain a problem of the EU and the U.S. "If anyone thinks Russia, China or Brazil see Kosovo as a burning issue, that is very naive. In the next ten years, Kosovo will be a burning issue for the EU and the U.S., which fought a war over it," Tadic underscored. “Serbia is nevertheless striving to get as much as possible in the process of arriving at a durable solution, and is doing this through a diplomatic war, but drastic measures such a lawsuits against any of the countries which have recognized Kosovo would inevitably lead to a new cooling of relations with Serbia,” the president said. He pointed out that the solution cannot be the one proposed by parties gathered around the U-Turn platform (the Liberal Democratic Party and the Serbian Renewal Movement) because that would mean that Serbia was completely renouncing its interests. "These parties propose giving up, and I cannot give up because that would also jeopardize Serbia's interests in other places where there is political instability," Tadic concluded. Boris Tadic (Tanjug, file)

President: New declaration on Kosovo not necessary

"If there is no declaration, it is not the end of the world - it would be good if it passed, but it is not necessary," he told Belgrade-based Prva TV.

Tadić said the current generation of politicians had a duty to find a solution for the Kosovo problem, even if it would not satisfy all Serbian citizens.

"I would like it if someone else were to blame for the fact that nobody can be satisfied with the solution for Kosovo, but we need to accomplish something," the president stressed, adding that, as time passed, Serbia's chances of getting something in Kosovo were becoming slimmer and slimmer.

“In the past there was a consensus regarding Kosovo on the Serbian political scene because no decisions were being made, but today we must make decisions, so disagreements arise, even within the ruling coalition,” he explained.

Pointing out that in 1999 Serbia fought a war with NATO over Kosovo, Tadić said that questioning the decisions of the major powers, i.e. the consequences of the war, inevitably lead to a more aggressive approach from these powers toward Serbia.

He explained that Kosovo would remain a problem of the EU and the U.S.

"If anyone thinks Russia, China or Brazil see Kosovo as a burning issue, that is very naive. In the next ten years, Kosovo will be a burning issue for the EU and the U.S., which fought a war over it," Tadić underscored.

“Serbia is nevertheless striving to get as much as possible in the process of arriving at a durable solution, and is doing this through a diplomatic war, but drastic measures such a lawsuits against any of the countries which have recognized Kosovo would inevitably lead to a new cooling of relations with Serbia,” the president said.

He pointed out that the solution cannot be the one proposed by parties gathered around the U-Turn platform (the Liberal Democratic Party and the Serbian Renewal Movement) because that would mean that Serbia was completely renouncing its interests.

"These parties propose giving up, and I cannot give up because that would also jeopardize Serbia's interests in other places where there is political instability," Tadić concluded.