The United States Embassy in Pristina has issued a press statement regarding the yesterday’s voting at UNESCO against Kosovo’s membership. It said that although the outcome of yesterday’s vote denying Kosovo UNESCO membership was disappointing, it is neither a statement on Kosovo’s independence, nor a reflection of its position in the world.  “In fact, the U.S. Embassy in Pristina is encouraged by the 92 yes votes, which demonstrate Kosovo’s importance on the international stage.

Head of the European Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, considers that the decision of the UNESCO member states not to vote in favor of Kosovo’s membership at this organization should not stop the determination of Kosovo’s institutions toward progress. “There was a major support for Kosovo in UNESCO. Many countries supported Kosovo’ membership at this organization. Majority of the required numbers was not reached however Kosovo should continue to be determined on its way,” Zbogar said.

The EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said in a press conference delivered through video link that the goal of the European Union is to have all Western Balkans countries join in but added that the accession pace will depend entirely on the countries themselves.

Leaders of Vetevendosje, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) said in a press conference today that the diplomacy of Kosovo has failed miserably in securing votes for membership in the United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organization (UNESCO) and is instead blaming Serbia’s campaign for this.

Decision of the UNESCO General Assembly not to admit Kosovo is big and important thing for Serbia, stated official of the Serbian List and Deputy Kosovo Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic, and assessed that the time has come for launching the dialogue.

The chairperson of the Serbian List Slavko Simic said to Tanjug that during the voting on Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO sense of some ambassadors prevailed and they brought good decision not to support Kosovo’s bid to become a member of this organization.

Slovakia voted against Kosovo's UNESCO bid because Belgrade and Pristina are expected to table such proposals in mutual agreement. According to the Beta agency, this is what Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said in the wake of the UNESCO General Conference vote where Pristina's bid to join the organization failed on Monday.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic congratulated citizens of Serbia the outcome of voting at the UNESCO General Conference after Kosovo’ s request for membership failed, and said that this was a just and moral victory in almost impossible conditions. He also congratulated Serbian Government for investing huge diplomatic efforts and did not give up even when it looked like that all is lost.

UNESCO did not approve at today’s General Conference voting Kosovo’s membership in the organization. A part of Latin American states and many states with Muslim majority, voted against Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Indonesia, Syria and Libya are the countries with Muslim majority which voted against Kosovo’s membership. Kosovo did not manage to become UNESCO member for three votes.

One hundred and fifty former members of the Serbian MUP (Ministry of Internal Affairs) in Kosovo who want solution to their judicial working status in accordance to the Serbian laws, protested today in front of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo in Mitrovica North. Their basic request is to reach a decision based on Serbia’s Constitution and Laws for pensioning the MUP members in Kosovo, and return to their duties for those who refuse early retirement. They threatened Serbia’s state leaders with a hunger strike if their demands are not fulfilled.