By KUNA
United Nations : Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic late Monday lashed out at the countries which recognized Kosovo’s independence, mainly the US, warning that their diplomatic relations will obviously suffer in the future.
He told reporters following a Security Council open meeting on the issue that the Serb envoys in the countries which recognized this “illegal act” of secession have been withdrawn to Belgrade for consultation.
“Unfortunately, this move led by the US, another step of this administration that is making this world less stable and less secure, is not the first such step,” he said in reference to the US which was joined by the UK, France, and Germany earlier Monday in recognizing the province’s independence.
“It has started an avalanche of recognitions … Serbia is not going to be able to continue having relationships with those who are threatening our sovereignty and territorial integrity and, with it, our freedom and our democracy,” he warned.
“Serbia is saying to everybody, whoever is deciding to recognize the act of brutalization of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our proud, democratic country, (they) can do so but in a knowledge that that cannot happen with a normal relationship with the republic of Serbia.” He also said that it was “regrettable” that Secretary-General Ban K-moon avoided answering a reporter’s question on whether Kosovo’s declared independence was legal.
Serbia’s President Boris Tadic appealed to the Security Council earlier in the day to protect Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with the UN Charter and UN resolutions, by declaring Kosovo’s independence “null and void”.
“Unfortunately, the Security Council could not come to a conclusion … With the declaration of Independence, a new page in the history of this organization is being written,” Jeremic told reporters following the council’s open session.
“Serbia finds this deeply regrettable. Serbia is not accepting that and Serbia is going to fight tooth and nail, diplomatically and politically in each and every international fora against this illegal decision,” Jeremic added.
Throwing the Kosovo’s ball in the council’s court, Ban told the council that the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), which has been overseeing the province since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces amid inter-ethnic fighting over eight years ago, will continue to carry out its mandate, “pending guidance from the Security Council.” In addition, the Secretary-General noted the European Union’s decision to deploy a rule of law mission and an EU Special Representative for Kosovo.
The council was split Monday between those who supported Kosovo’s independence; US, UK, France, and Italy, and those who opposed it; Russia, China, Vietman, and South Africa.
US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad told the council that the interim status in Kosovo was “unsustainable,” that Kosovo’s leadership acted in a mature, non-violent and responsible manner, and that the declaration of independence was fully consistent with resolution 1244 of 1999.
“The recognition of Kosovo’s sovereignty by a substantial number of governments in the first day since the declaration of independence ensured that the fact was irreversible. Now it was important to focus on working constructively with Kosovo and Serbia.” The official meanwhile confirmed his government’s desire to “maintain and strengthen relations with Serbia — an ally in two world wars.” Russia’s envoy Vitaly Churkin told the council that Kosovo’s declared independence is a “blatant breach of norms and principles of international law, above all, of the UN Charter, that undermines the foundations of the international relations system” and is an “open violation of the Republic of Serbia’s sovereignty.”