Beograd press – Belgrade, Serbia

“This fact alone speaks clearly that without Serbia, the problem of the future status of Kosovo cannot be solved,” Tadić said, adding that the idea of forcing Serbia into a corner with a plan for a sped up recognition of Kosovo independence is not giving any results. He added that Serbia is for these reasons posing the Kosovo question before the international institutions—the UN Security Council and the International Court of Justice—adding that in the end, a constructive, peaceful, sustainable, and bilaterally acceptable solution must be found. Tadić added that after the ICJ decision, Serbia will decide what legal and diplomatic steps it will take, but repeated that Serbia will never accept the plan of Martti Ahtisaari. “I deeply believe in negotiations and dialogue and other political obligations, in non-violent methods, a peaceful and rational process. All who believe that another route exists are very wrong. Without negotiations and dialogue and a compromise by both sides, there is no solution,” Tadić said, adding that the politicians urging Priština to refuse compromise and dialogue are making a mistake.

Speaking on the Srebrenica resolution, Tadić said that it is the moral obligation of Serbia towards a crime that has become an international symbol of evil on the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

“When we do this, we will be able to expect that the same principle to be valid for other countries and nations whose people committed crimes against Serbs. That question will be on the daily agenda as well,” Tadić said.He reminded that the parliament adopted a resolution on military neutrality and that the current government will not change that. Tadić said that no one can condition NATO membership on the road to European Union membership.

“In the Partnership for Peace program, there is a lot of room in which Serbia can make concrete use of it for itself and for its military,” Tadić said.

He criticized the political parties that are deceiving the citizens by focusing on negative emotions related to NATO, who also lied, saying that the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU would mean that Serbia is recognizing and accepting Kosovo independence.

“These same people are trying to trick the citizens today, claiming that someone wants to pass a decision behind their backs for entering NATO, because only in such an atmosphere of fear and general lack of trust do their politics stand a chance. This has a lot to do with their lack of courage to say what they really want—a referendum against the entrance of Serbia into the EU,” he said.

source: www.b92.net