"Kosovo must be represented under 1244"

Belgrade team chief Borislav Stefanovic says requests to give up on the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 are very subtle now. He noted that those requests were not as brutal as during Slobodan Milosevic's time. "Kosovo must be represented under 1244" The team head told daily Vecernje novosti that a solution for Kosovo's representation could be found immediately “if it said on the name plate for regional representation that it is under Resolution 1244.“ Stefanovic said that it was not possible to find a solution without the Resolution 1244. “It cannot be done because the Resolution is the one that gives the essence to the asymmetry. We cannot accept the asymmetry that Pristina has a blue plate and the other states the red one. Based on the Resolution, Pristina can be represented without prejudging of the status in the international organizations. If we give up on the document we will send a signal to the international community that we are giving up on Kosovo,” the team head explained. Center for New Policy Director Vladimir Todoric told B92, however, that some asymmetry needed to exist. “If all parties sit down and realize their limitations, i.e. possibilities, the solution will be found. It is certain that some asymmetry needs to exist when it comes to the way Kosovo will be represented. Here, Macedonia has been putting up with the fact that the former Yugoslav republic is written for 15 years, then the EU must accept the argument that Kosovo must have the markings of the Resolution 1244, which is in effect and it says in all the EU documents,” he pointed out. Todoric believes that a solution for Kosovo’s representation could be found quickly if the EU found a way to equally exert pressure and motivation on Belgrade and Pristina. “But since the EU currently has much bigger influence on Serbia that it does on Kosovo, which is outside international events and has no relations with the EU whatsoever, the whole pressure is directed at Belgrade that is very interested in the continuation of the dialogue with Kosovo,” he stressed. The Center for New Policy director expects that other issues will be just as important to the EU member states when they make a decision on Serbia’s EU candidate status, such as the issues of the barricades and the referendum in northern Kosovo. “I mainly fear the possibility that someone will ask whether Serbia will organize the elections in Kosovo as it has done so far,” he concluded. Borislav Stefanovic (Tanjug, file) B92

"Kosovo must be represented under 1244"

The team head told daily Večernje novosti that a solution for Kosovo's representation could be found immediately “if it said on the name plate for regional representation that it is under Resolution 1244.“

Stefanović said that it was not possible to find a solution without the Resolution 1244.

“It cannot be done because the Resolution is the one that gives the essence to the asymmetry. We cannot accept the asymmetry that Priština has a blue plate and the other states the red one. Based on the Resolution, Priština can be represented without prejudging of the status in the international organizations. If we give up on the document we will send a signal to the international community that we are giving up on Kosovo,” the team head explained.

Center for New Policy Director Vladimir Todorić told B92, however, that some asymmetry needed to exist.

“If all parties sit down and realize their limitations, i.e. possibilities, the solution will be found. It is certain that some asymmetry needs to exist when it comes to the way Kosovo will be represented. Here, Macedonia has been putting up with the fact that the former Yugoslav republic is written for 15 years, then the EU must accept the argument that Kosovo must have the markings of the Resolution 1244, which is in effect and it says in all the EU documents,” he pointed out.

Todorić believes that a solution for Kosovo’s representation could be found quickly if the EU found a way to equally exert pressure and motivation on Belgrade and Priština.

“But since the EU currently has much bigger influence on Serbia that it does on Kosovo, which is outside international events and has no relations with the EU whatsoever, the whole pressure is directed at Belgrade that is very interested in the continuation of the dialogue with Kosovo,” he stressed.

The Center for New Policy director expects that other issues will be just as important to the EU member states when they make a decision on Serbia’s EU candidate status, such as the issues of the barricades and the referendum in northern Kosovo.

“I mainly fear the possibility that someone will ask whether Serbia will organize the elections in Kosovo as it has done so far,” he concluded.