Draft solution for Kosovo-Metohija bound to fail if not based on UN Charter

RELIEF WEB (SWITZERLAND)

 

Source: Government of Serbia

Date: 01 Nov 2006

 

Belgrade, Nov 1, 2006 - Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today that the draft solution for Kosovo-Metohija by Marti Ahtisaari is bound to fail if it is not in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and if it violates the territorial integrity of Serbia.

 

Kostunica pointed to the fact that the Serbian government has not received the document prepared by Ahtisaari regarding the solution for the future status of Kosovo-Metohija, neither has the government had an opportunity to talk with Ahtisaari on the matter.

 

The Serbian Prime Minister said that it is a worrying fact that Ahtisaari has held only one meeting with the Serbian and ethnic-Albanian sides thus far, and now he has a document which was never discussed. He added that during the past one year Ahtisaari did not succeed in organising serious talks.

 

One thing is certain - if Ahtisaari's document is not in accordance with the UN Charter and if it violates the territorial integrity of Serbia, then such a solution is doomed to failure in advance, because the Security Council will never allow that the UN Charter is violated and 15% of Serbia's territory is seized, stressed Kostunica.

 

Kostunica said that he believes Ahtisaari read the UN Charter before preparing this document and knows that three and a half million Serbian citizens have voted for the Constitution, which includes the decree of the UN Charter.

 

Kostunica said that Ahtisaari has no need to think when elections will be held in Serbia, because now the Constitution completely defines the position of every future government in Serbia regarding the southern province.

 

It is important that Ahtisaari concentrates on making sure that any document he prepares is in harmony with the UN Charter and in that case the doors to finding a just and compromise solution will be opened up, said the Serbian Prime Minister.