- Title: SERBIA: Serbian reactions as Belgrade gesture on Kosovo helps EU accession bid
- Date: 10th September 2010
- Summary: MAN READING NEWSPAPERS IN CAFE WOMEN READING NEWSPAPERS IN CAFE MAN READING NEWSPAPERS (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) UNIDENTIFIED CITIZEN OF BELGRADE, SAYING: "I hope its good what they have agreed, everything should be done, what is good for Serbia" (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) JEVREM STOJILJKOVIC, CITIZEN OF BELGRADE, SAYING: "This is very bad, that's my opinion, that's very bad, its a lost thing" PEOPLE ON THE STREET NIS, SERBIA (SEPTEMBER 09, 2010) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN EMERGENCY FIREFIGHTING TEAM STANDING NEXT TO MI 26 HELICOPTER SERBIAN INTERIOR MINISTER, IVICA DACIC, SHAKING HANDS WITH MEMBERS OF THE RUSSIAN EMERGENCY TEAM RUSSIAN SIGN ON MAN'S SLEEVE/RUSSIAN TEAM DACIC SHAKING HAND WITH THE RUSSIAN EMERGENCY TEAM (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN INTERIOR MINISTER, IVICA DACIC, SAYING: "Serbia will, of course, continue the policy, which includes at the same time defending our national interests but Serbia also must take into consideration the views of all our friends, and also those who have different views, and whose position is very important in the International community. So Serbia at the same time has to defend its national interests, and to continue the process of opening to the world, and joining European Union." DACIC TALKING TO THE REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 25th September 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Serbia
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA6O9BVPHKWGGCX7ALULD411JJ
- Story Text: Serbians react after Belgrade agrees to amend a United Nations draft resolution that had sought to reopen discussion of the status of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, and pursue dialogue with the breakaway country on future solutions instead.
Serbia's dramatic gesture of flexibility towards Kosovo will enable it to advance towards joining the European Union, but many tangled issues will complicate that goal and may take years to resolve.
Belgrade agreed on Wednesday (September 8) to amend a United Nations draft resolution that had sought to reopen discussion of the status of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008, and pursue dialogue with the breakaway country on future solutions instead.
The U.N. General Assembly was expected to embrace the new approach on Thursday (September 9) by endorsing the altered resolution, jointly sponsored by the EU and Serbia. The text acknowledges an International Court of Justice ruling that Kosovo did not violate international law when it declared statehood.
Serbia lost control of Kosovo in 1999 when NATO waged a bombing campaign to halt killings of ethnic Albanians in a two-year counter-insurgency war. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, backed by the United States and most EU countries.
In July, in response to a Serbian request, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that Kosovo did not violate international law by declaring independence. Initially it appeared that Belgrade would disregard the ruling in turning to the United Nations.
However, Belgrade said it will amend the text of a proposed U.N. General Assembly resolution on Kosovo as agreed with EU officials after intense lobbying in recent weeks.
Officials said the new resolution called on the General Assembly to acknowledge the ICJ ruling on Kosovo and calls for dialogue between the two parties.
Vejvoda, Executive Director of The Balkan Trust for Democracy, praised the decision.
"This is an extremely important moment, all the circumstances are here, and its the right moment for such a move, together with the European Union, because that's our present, and our future. Simply said, these are the countries that we have relations in trade, politics and in other fields, that's our historic, geographic and historical location, so any other decision would be counterproductive for Serbia and would make situation much more difficult in Serbia itself, concerning the economy, and politics, and EU integration would be stopped," Ivo Vejvoda told Reuters.
Vejvoda also predicted what the new talks between Belgrade and Pristina could be about.
"Well, talks would be about a couple of things, the rights of the Serb community in Kosovo, guarantees and a sort of status for monasteries, and of course, the most important issue, the status of north Kosovo, north of the river Ibar," he added.
For some Serbians the deal between the EU and Serbia was good.
"I hope its good, what they have agreed, everything should be done, what is good for Serbia," one citizen from Belgrade said.
But, for others it was a bad deal.
"This is very bad, that's my opinion, that's very bad, its a lost thing" Jevrem Stojiljkovic, from Belgrade said.
Serbian Interior minister, Ivica Dacic, who attended on Thursday (September 09) joint exercises between Serbian and Russian emergency fire fighting teams in the town of Nis, 200 kilometres south from Belgrade, said that Serbia would have two goals in the future, one to defend national interests, and a second, to continue the process of joining European Union.
"Serbia will, of course, continue the policy, which includes at the same time defending our national interests but Serbia also must take into consideration the views of all our friends, and also those who have different views, and whose position is very important in the International community. So Serbia at the same time has to defend its national interests, and to continue the process of opening to the world, and joining European Union," Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said.
Belgrade newspapers carried headlines about the new deal between EU and Serbia. The most influential newspaper "Politika" had a headline reading: 'Join resolution Serbia and EU'. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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