“Controversial formulation does not date back to 2005”

BELGRADE Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Kostunica has rejected claims of EU officials that “Kosovo's territorial integrity“ was mentioned back in 2005. “The claim of EU representatives that the Contact Group supported Kosovo’s territorial integrity in 2005 is a complete lie,” he stressed. “Controversial formulation does not date back to 2005” EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said earlier that "Kosovo's territorial integrity" was mentioned by the Contact Group in 2005. “The truth can be very easily determined because principles of the Contact Group for negotiations in November 2005 is a public document and everybody can see for themselves that Kosovo’s territorial integrity absolutely is not mentioned in these principles,” Kostunica explained. According to him, Serbia’s official policy was not to accept the partition of Kosovo but that does not mean that Serbia was in favor of “respecting Kosovo’s territorial integrity”. “On the contrary, the non-acceptance of the Kosovo partition means a consistent respect of Serbia’s territorial integrity. The first question is whether the EU is ready to erase the request for the respect of Kosovo’s territorial integrity from its documents. It is the right time for Serbia to insist on the full clarification of the issue and not to give up on the request that the part on the respect of Kosovo’s territorial integrity be deleted,” Kostunica stressed. The EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule presented the annual EC report on Serbia’s progress in Brussels on Wednesday. As expected the EC did not recommend that Serbia be given a date for the beginning of the accession talks. Serbian PM Ivica Dacic said on Wednesday that a request that Serbia should respect Kosovo’s territorial integrity could jeopardize the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. Fule and Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert stressed that the mentioning of Kosovo’s territorial integrity should not be a surprise to Serbia. Fule said that the controversial formulation “Kosovo’s territorial integrity” referred to the fact that the EU did not want the partition of Kosovo and that it did not have anything to do with Kosovo’s status. “We are not revealing some new concept. A principle that Kosovo’s borders will not be changed was stated by the Contact Group in November 2005 in its guidelines for the negotiations on Kosovo’s status. Mentioning of the territorial integrity has nothing to do with Kosovo’s status and the Commission clearly said in its report that it remains status neutral,” the enlargement commissioner explained. The controversial formulation can be found in the EC’s document dubbed Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2012-2013. Vojislav Kostunica (Tanjug, file) Beta

“Controversial formulation does not date back to 2005”

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said earlier that "Kosovo's territorial integrity" was mentioned by the Contact Group in 2005.

“The truth can be very easily determined because principles of the Contact Group for negotiations in November 2005 is a public document and everybody can see for themselves that Kosovo’s territorial integrity absolutely is not mentioned in these principles,” Koštunica explained.

According to him, Serbia’s official policy was not to accept the partition of Kosovo but that does not mean that Serbia was in favor of “respecting Kosovo’s territorial integrity”.

“On the contrary, the non-acceptance of the Kosovo partition means a consistent respect of Serbia’s territorial integrity. The first question is whether the EU is ready to erase the request for the respect of Kosovo’s territorial integrity from its documents. It is the right time for Serbia to insist on the full clarification of the issue and not to give up on the request that the part on the respect of Kosovo’s territorial integrity be deleted,” Koštunica stressed.

The EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule presented the annual EC report on Serbia’s progress in Brussels on Wednesday. As expected the EC did not recommend that Serbia be given a date for the beginning of the accession talks.

Serbian PM Ivica Dačić said on Wednesday that a request that Serbia should respect Kosovo’s territorial integrity could jeopardize the Belgrade-Priština dialogue.

Fule and Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert stressed that the mentioning of Kosovo’s territorial integrity should not be a surprise to Serbia.

Fule said that the controversial formulation “Kosovo’s territorial integrity” referred to the fact that the EU did not want the partition of Kosovo and that it did not have anything to do with Kosovo’s status.

“We are not revealing some new concept. A principle that Kosovo’s borders will not be changed was stated by the Contact Group in November 2005 in its guidelines for the negotiations on Kosovo’s status. Mentioning of the territorial integrity has nothing to do with Kosovo’s status and the Commission clearly said in its report that it remains status neutral,” the enlargement commissioner explained.

The controversial formulation can be found in the EC’s document dubbed Enlargement Strategy and Main Challenges 2012-2013.