By KUNA
United Nations : Serbian President Boris Tadic late Monday told the Security Council that his country will never recognize the unilateral independence Kosovo declared on Sunday.
“Here, in the Security Council of the UN, I say clearly and unequivocally: Serbia will never recognize the independence of Kosovo. We shall never renounce Kosovo and we shall not give up the struggle for our legitimate interest,” Tadic told a council open meeting to discuss the issue.
“For the citizens of Serbia and its institutions, Kosovo will forever remain part of Serbia,” he stressed.
He asked the council to take “effective measures” in order to ensure that all provisions of the UN Charter are fully respected.
He also requested the Secretary-General to issue “clear and unequivocal instructions” to his special representative for Kosovo Joachim Rucker to use his powers and declare that Kosovo’s “unilateral and illegal” declaration of independence from Serbia is “null and void”.
He warned the council “seriously of the danger of the escalation of many non-existing conflicts, the flaring up of frozen conflicts and the instigation of new ones”.
He warned that “this arbitrary decision (by Kosovo)” represents a precedent which will cause “irreparable damage” to the international order, reassuring the council at the same time that Serbia “will not resort to force” to undo Kosovo’s independence.
To those countries which recognized Kosovo earlier today, Tadic said “if you turn a blind eye to this illegal act, who guarantees to you that parts of your countries will not declare independence in the same illegal way”.
“Are we all aware of the precedent that is being set and are we aware of the catastrophic consequences that it may lead to?” he wondered.