Jeremic: Kosovo will be back on negotiating table

"Our efforts are directed at having no one else recognize Pristina, at it not becoming a member of any international organization. In other words, to isolate it [Pristina] in a semi-defined status, from which it will be able to emerge only by renewing dialogue with Belgrade," Jeremic told the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti in an interview.

The minister said that after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) took over the case of determining the legality of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration, and since it became obvious that Serbia's legal argumentation, supported by statements from other countries, is exceptionally strong, there have been attempts to "change the global reality".

"The intention is to pile up as many new recognitions, in order to, by the time the court gives its opinion, the number of countries grows to more than half of UN members, in a bid to make the ruling irrelevant," said he.

Jeremic added that although the pressure will "likely grow as the court's decision nears", Serbia will do everything to counter it.

The minister said that Albanians "have the support of some of the most influential countries in the world and they work in Pristina's favor diligently", but that we are "striking back, remaining steadfast and omnipresent", and that, "irrelevant of the differences over Kosovo, we have earned a good dose of many countries' respect because of the energy and the way in which we fight".

"We expect the ICJ to adopt an advisory opinion in our favor. This will open up the way for a restart of dialogue on the status of Kosovo," Jeremic stressed, and added he expects the first debate in the case to take place in December, and a significant number of countries to take part in that.

The minister added that it is realistic to expect that after the end of that process, a global debate will start that will result in the reopening of the status issue