September 2, 2010

In regard to the Kosovo issue resolution, Slovakian Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda said that unilateral secession is not in the interest of Europe, nor it will help resolve territorial disputes. We view the principle of territorial integrity as the basic principle of international law, as well as co-existence of different ethnic communities,  Dzurinda said, according to Slovakian media. He added that he never said that Slovakia "will never recognize an independent Kosovo, but that it will seriously take into account the interests of Serbia and Belgrade's position. We should act in such a fashion to convince Belgrade that we seriously count on Serbia in the EU and we should help regarding negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, said the Slovakian Minister.

September 2, 2010

Vice-President of the Board of the European Parliament for South Eastern Europe Victor Bostinaru said that Brussels should not be blackmailing Serbia on its European course. Serbia plays a central role in the region, and the European future of the region cannot be realistically conceived without Serbia, Bostinaru told Radio Deutsche Welle. He stressed that the EU needs to know that it can not be complete without the West Balkans and that an effective European policy towards the Balkans cannot be created without Serbia and recognition of its values. Commenting on the talks on the Kosovo issue, as well as the possibility of harmonizing Serbian text of the Resolution on Kosovo with Brussels, Bostinaru said he believes that Belgrade is considering a compromise-based solution. However, he reiterated that the issue of Kosovo should not be confused with the EU integration of Serbia and that in this regard conditions that have not been set before other countries in the Balkans should not be set before Serbia.

September 2, 2010

It is very important that Serbia was among the founders of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) in Vienna, which will facilitate the fight against this crime," said Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic participating in the founding conference of the Academy. He said that the Academy, which will be based in Laxenburg near Vienna, represents a significant contribution to development of capacities to fight corruption. Signatory countries will exchange experience and train police officers and employees of the judiciary in order to enable prevention, identification and sanctioning of corruption, said Dacic. More than 30 ministers from several countries, as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon are participating in  the founding conference of the Academy in Vienna.

September 2, 2010

Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Bakonski reiterated in Bucharest that his country would not recognize a unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence and that it support the European perspective of the West Balkan countries. In talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, Bakonski said that Romania supports the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. Bakonski assessed that any slowdown in the EU enlargement pertaining to the West Balkans bears risk of destabilizing the region again.

02 September 2010.

Spanish Ambassador in Belgrade Inigo de Palacio Espana has stated that his country has not prepared any new draft of the resolution on Kosmet for the UN General Assembly. In comment to writings in certain media that Spain has prepared an option for the compromise resolution, to replace the Serbian document, he told the BETA agency that this is a delicate time and efforts are aimed at finding a satisfactory solution. Friends and partners of Serbia in the EU, along with Belgrade authorities, are working to find a solution that would satisfy all sides involved, and of course that Spain is contributing to that effort, stated Espana.

02 September 2010.

Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi has organized a celebration to mark the 41st anniversary since the Libyan revolution, which is attended, among others, by Boris Tadic. It is the fourth meeting of Tadic and Gaddafi, and the second one this year. In September last year the Libyan leader decorated the Serbian President with a medal. Libya presides over the UN General Assembly session on September 9, when the Serbian resolution on Kosmet should be discussed.

02 September 2010.

British Ambassador in Belgrade Stephen Wordsworth has stated Spain has been working with Serbia and EU partners on harmonizing the text of the resolution on Kosmet for the session of the UN General Assembly. They are trying to reach compromise and find the way to solve the problem, specified Wordsworth, in the recess of a gathering dedicated to the draft media strategy. At the same time, the Belgrade POLITIKA daily writes that the Spanish authorities have put together the draft of the compromise resolution on Kosmet, which might potentially replace the Serbian document, previously sent to the General Assembly. The daily reports that the Spanish version has still not become a topic of official talks and it is possible that at the moment it plays the role of a political lab-test. The POLITIKA points that Brussels is counting with very good relations of Madrid and Belgrade, and especially the fact that Spain is determined in its support to the territorial integrity of Serbia, i.e. has no intention whatsoever to recognize the self-declared independence of Kosmet.

02 September 2010.

Serbian President Boris Tadic and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton should talk in Strasbourg on Tuesday about the harmonization of Serbian and EU stances on the draft resolution on Kosmet that was sent to the UN General Assembly, the BETA finds out among diplomatic sources in Brussels. It is reported that on the text of the resolution and outcome of the debate in the General Assembly will depend whether Serbia will be given the candidate status for the membership in the Union any time soon. The officials in Brussels say that the EU has not set the recognition of Kosmet as a new condition for Serbia’s membership, but it may be the stance of some influential countries. Catherine Ashton’s spokesperson Maja Kocijancic has stated that the EU understands Belgrade would like to harmonize the stances, after Tadic had announced the arrival of a high Serbian delegation to Brussels. We still have regular contacts with Belgrade, emphasized Kocijancic.

September 1, 2010

The long-term trial proceedings against three Croatian generals, Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac, charged with the crimes against Serbian civilians during and after the 1995 attack against Krajina, as well as for participation in the criminal enterprise aimed at deportation of the Serbian population, has ended today with the closing arguments of the prosecution and defense before the Hague Tribunal. The Tribunal announced that in the coming months, the Trial Chamber will reach the verdict. Prosecutor Alan Tieger said at the end of the process that proven were allegations outlined in the indictment regarding excessive artillery destruction of Knin and other cities in Krajina, killings and torture of Serbian civilians, destruction of Serbs’ homes and property, prevention of the return of refugees and implementation of the intention of the then Croatian state leadership to expel the entire Serbian population from Krajina.

04  September 2010

German general Erhard Buhler has taken over command of KFOR from general Marcus Bentler. In 2004, Buhler led the KFOR German contingent in Prizren and was the deputy commander of the South-West Multinational Brigade. The commander of the NATO Associated Forces in Naples, Mark Fitzgerald, said at the ceremony that KFOR would continue preserving peace and stability and that NATO, in proportion with the improvement of the security situation, would be decreasing its presence in Kosmet.