Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, “advises” Kosovo not to apply for UNESCO membership.

“The best thing would have been if Kosovo did not apply for membership at the UN Organization for Education, Science and Culture,” Dacic said to his Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano, who is visiting Belgrade.

Dacic also is quoted as saying that UNESCO should not be politicized. “There is a syndrome of minor differences and major conflicts in Balkans,” Dacic said.

He also said to Alfano that Serbia has continuously been for dialogue. “We will never interrupt the dialogue, even when we are dissatisfied. We will not blackmail with participation in the dialogue as Pristina does and neither would we provoke,” Dacic said.

He added that Belgrade wants agreement and sustainable solution for the relations between Belgrade and Pristina, however it objects unilateral actions and it cannot allow such actions to direct Serbia’s positions.

Speaking about UNESCO, Dacic said that “Serbia is not against Kosovo’s participation at international organizations, but only if it is defined clearly that this is done symmetrically, being that the status of Kosovo is not resolved.”