Algeria: Kosovo is about secession, not self-determination
The Kosovo issue is not a case of self-determination but of secession, according to the Algerian Ambassador to Belgrade Abdelkader Mesdoua.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, May 18, 2009
Algeria, the diplomat told FoNet news agency in Belgrade on Sunday, will not recognize Kosovo.
Mesdoua repeated that his country supports Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
"The Algerian government's position on the issue of Kosovo is clear. We consider this to be a problem of partition, secession, not of self-determination."
Algeria "said from the very beginning" it would not recognize the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration, "which was confirmed during Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic's visit".
"We will not recognize Kosovo as independent and we will remain firmly on this position, unless there is a development that would have Serbia change its stance, but that would be a different question that we would consider then," Mesdoua said.
Taking into account the present situation, Algeria will not recognize Kosovo and will continue to support Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, the ambassador reiterated.
