Serbia has tried to constructively contribute to a solution for Kosovo and is ready to continue to talk with all interested parties in that spirit. First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said this on November 15 in New York City, at a session of the UN Security Council dedicated to Kosovo.
Speaking at the session at which the report of the UN Secretary-General on the work of UNMIK from July 15 to October 15, but also from April 16 to July 15, was examined, Dacic voiced dissatisfaction over the decision of the United Kingdom as chair country not to include the topic of Kosovo and Metohija into the program of work of the Security Council in the previous period, the Serbian government said.
The conflict is far behind us, but we are also far from a stable and safe situation that no longer requires the attention of this body, Dacic said, adding that with regret he can conclude that nothing positive has really happened since the last session of the Security Council – the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), which is the pillar of the Brussels agreement, has not been established for more than 2,000 days, conditions have not been created for the return of 200,000 internally displaced persons, the Special Court has not started with work, and almost a year after the murder of Oliver Ivanovic the perpetrator of that heinous crime has not been found.
“None of this happened. And it is hard to say anything positive about the things that did happen, and which are a gross violation of the Resolution adopted by this respected body, new provocations and new incidents,” the minister said.
Dacic referred to the laws of the so-called Kosovo Assembly, which will practically enable the transformation of the Kosovo security forces into armed forces, which Serbia explicitly opposes, then to preventing President Vucic from visiting the town of Banje and to the incursion of special police forces at Lake Gazivode, as the most drastic example of provocation.
Pristina, in an act of desperation introduced last week an additional 10 percent tax on products from Serbia as a punishment for our foreign policy activities, thus violating in the harshest way the rules of CEFTA which it currently chairs, and which was strongly condemned by all international actors, including the EU, Dacic underlined.
Instead of focusing on dialogue, Pristina is focused on trying to gain membership in international organizations, thinking that thus it will prove its statehood, without realizing that this is not the path that leads to any solution. On the contrary, the unfoundedness of its demands and their direct opposition to the basic principles of international law only lead to the politicization of these organizations, division and unnecessary waste of energy.
“Serbia is most sincerely interested in reaching a compromise on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. We are determined to find a mutually acceptable solution. Such a solution cannot be found without the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, but without your support either,” Dacic said.
