Kosovo will never be independent for Serbia

Dnevnik, Novi Sad, September 12, 2006

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS EFFORTS OF STATE NEGOTIATING TEAM TO KEEP KOSOVO AND METOHIJA AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REPUBLIC

Yesterday the Serbian Assembly requested that work on the new constitution defining Kosovo and Metohija as a part of Serbia with substantial autonomy within the sovereign and democratic Republic of Serbia be completed as soon possible.

"Following from this constitutional position of Kosovo and Metohija will be the constitutional responsibility of all state officials per the new constitution to represent and defend the state interests of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija in all internal and external political relations," says the parliamentary decision. The Assembly also adopted the report on the work of the state negotiating team in talks to date on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija, and condemned the statement of UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari that "the Serbs are guilty as a nation".

At yesterday's session of the Serbian Assembly dedicated to the report of the negotiating team on the course of negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian premier Vojislav Kostunica repeated that "Kosovo will never be independent for Serbia" and that this position must be articulated in the new constitution. "Since those who left their lives in Kosovo Polje more than six centuries ago, through all generations that have lived, fought and died in Kosovo, our answer is that Kosovo has always been and will always remain a part of Serbia," said the Premier.

He said that the Assembly decision to write that Kosovo and Metohija are an integral part of Serbia in the new Serbian constitution will send everyone "an unequivocal message that the state of Serbia, with respect to Kosovo, is bound solely and exclusively by what is written in her constitution." "In other words, the whole world will know that as long as the state of Serbia exists, Kosovo will be its inseparable province to us. And that is why we can reject beforehand every thought that the referendum on the new constitution may not succeed because there is no citizen who will not take part in a referendum to confirm that Kosovo forever remains an integral part of Serbia," explained Kostunica.

The Premier stated that international envoy Martti Ahtisaari has offered only "unprecedented argument" so far toward the independence of Kosovo - that it is to be taken away from Serbia because "the Serbs are guilty as a people". "It turned out that it was more difficult for this diplomat to apologize than to insult an entire people. Since that is how it is, then the Serbian National Assembly has the responsibility of clearly and unequivocally condemning Ahtisaari's statement. The extent of the authority of the international envoy after this and the extent to which we can believe in his lack of bias and objectivity, at least as far as Serbia is concerned, goes without saying," said the Premier.

In conclusion he said that all deputies have the responsibility of using law and justice to oppose every attempt to impose the independence of Kosovo. "We all know full well that one person cannot defend Kosovo just as one person cannot lose it. Kosovo can only be defended by the entire people or lost by a whole people if it so decides. Since it has existed Kosovo has been and will remain a national treasure and concern, a matter concerning all Serbia and the entire Serbian people. The firm and focused will of the people, if used to seal a referendum on the new constitution confirming that Kosovo is the heart of Serbia, will be the most reliable guarantee that we have given a worthy answer on this new test of history," concluded Kostunica.

The head of the G17+ caucus Miloljub Albijanic emphasized the importance of the fact that there is "complete unity" among the negotiators, as well as among the members of the Serbian Government, the Premier and the President of the republic, while the head of the Democratic Party caucus Dusan Petrovic warned that the government must take care of the interests of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija who are in greatest peril but also of the interests of citizens in the rest of Serbia, and the high dignitaries and churches of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The head of the Socialist Party of Serbia Ivica Dacic said that Serbia should discontinue diplomatic relations with countries lobbying for the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. "We must be ready to say that we will fight for Kosovo and Metohija with all means. If you don't want to tell anybody you are going to fight, if you only say you are going to sulk for a bit, why shouldn't someone decide in favor of independence," said Dacic.

On behalf of the Serbian Radical Party Tomislav Nikolic asked the Government and President Tadic in addition to their public declarations that Kosovo and Metohija will always be a part of Serbia to answer the question what will happen the day after the eventual proclamation of independence of the province. "Don't say I am the one that wants war later on because I hear you saying that Kosovo and Metohija will always be Serbia. You are aware of the implications of this statement," said Nikolic. E. D.

Negotiations to the last moment

In his address to deputies, Serbian president Boris Tadic said that it is very important that the new constitutional solution treats Kosovo and Metohija in a special way, as well as that all state institutions protect the national, state and economic interests of all citizens of Serbia, including all citizens of Kosovo. "Through democratic negotiations we are defending not only the integrity and sovereignty of our country throughout its territory and the interests of all her citizens but also the stability and interests of all of southeast Europe," said Tadic, adding that negotiations must continue to the last moment because this is the only way of fighting for Serbia's interests.

Precedent to the detriment of Belgrade

The coordinator of the Belgrade team in Vienna negotiations on the status of Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic, who is the advisor of Premier Kostunica, advised deputies that experience to date at the negotiations shows that that the possibility that very influential circles in the international community will attempt to create an international legal precedent to the detriment of Serbia in the case of Kosovo should not be ignored. "Should there be an attempt to impose the independence of Kosovo upon Serbia, we should not completely exclude the possibility that additional means of pressure upon our country will be used toward that goal," warned Samardzic.

(Translated on September 12, 2006 by sib)