Kojen: International community divided on Kosovo and Metohija

Radio Television Serbia, Belgrade, Wednesday, September 20, 2006 23:04

Advisor to the Serbian president Leon Kojen said in New York that there are "very great differences" among the key members of the international community in their views on the future status of Kosovo.

"The international community is divided," said Kojen, adding that this means "there will be no imposing of a solution for Kosovo before the end of the year". He reminded that there are three unresolved questions with respect to the future status of Kosovo: independence vs. autonomy, an imposed vs. a negotiated solution, and a solution by the end of the year vs. a longer, more rational timeframe.

"Considering those three issues, I believe that those who are hoping for a unanimous position on the part of the international community to the detriment of Serbia are fooling themselves. The position of Russia and China today corresponds to the Serbian position on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country," said Kojen.

He believes that there is no chance of a resolution discontinuing the sovereignty of Serbia over Kosovo passing in the UN Security Council before the end of the year. "Consequently, chances are small that the process through the UN will be completed by the end of the year because in recent weeks there have been constant suggestions and threats by Albanian leaders that they may undertake the unilateral step of proclaiming independence," added the Serbian presidential advisor.

Commenting on expectations from the ministerial meeting of Contact Group countries in New York, Kojen said that nothing would happen at that meeting despite announcements over the past few months that it would result in "key steps of tightening the noose" around Serbia. If a statement is issued at all by the session, which is to be chaired by U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, Kojen believes that it will reflect the old position of the organization, recalling the guiding principles.

Kojen suggested that the UN envoy for Kosovo status Martti Ahtisaari may present his own views on the status of Kosovo in November, when his mandate concludes but in the opinion of the Serbian presidential advisor, this will not carry any particular weight if it cannot be accepted by the Security Council and if there is no consensus on it among the permanent members. "At this point in time, if Ahtisaari were to propose some form of limited or conditional independence for Kosovo, I see no reason why the UN Security Council would accept such a solution," concluded Kojen.