South Africa will not recognize Kosovo

Jeremic responded by expressing Serbia's deep gratitude for South Africa's principled support for Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, FoNet news agency reported.

"This position will not change, and this represents great encouragement for us," Jeremic said, and noted that South Africa was the continent's "indisputable leader".

He also stressed that his hosts backed Serbia's initiative to find a compromise solution for the status of Kosovo, in line with principles and rules of the United Nations.

Slovak Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda said once again that he sees no reason for his country to change its stance and to stop refusing to recognize Kosovo.

"We understand the interests of Kosovo, but we are very seriously taking into consideration the interests of Belgrade as well," he told Slovak news agency TASR.

This was, apparently, Dzurinda's response to the pressure being put on the remaining five EU member-states that have not recognized Kosovo's independence to do so.

He said that it is not in the interest of Europe for territorial disputes to be solved through the secession of a certain ethnic group.

"We never said that we would never recognize Kosovo," Dzurinda said, denying statements that Slovakia is "cemented" in refusing to recognize Kosovo's unilaterally proclaimed independence.

"We have always stressed that the interests of Belgrade need to be taken into consideration and that position is not changing. The International Court of Justice did not solve anything, nor did it deal with the essential parts of the question. That is why I do not see a reason for Slovakia to change its stance at this time," he said.