Serbia rejects Kosovo’s independence, EU mission
Serbian government on Thursday in advance rejected the imminent declaration of independence in Kosovo, as Premier Vojislav Kostunica said that Serbs will never accept the secession of volatile southern province.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, February 15, 2008
"Such a (move) would represent a flagrant and unilateral act of secession of a part of the territory of the Republic of Serbia, and is therefore invalid and void," the government said in a statement.
Mr. Kostunica, speaking to the reporters after Thursday's meeting, said his cabinet had adopted a resolution to annul the independence of Kosovo in advance, describing the move expected to be made by Albanian leaders as "an event which will become reality in a few days" and "illegal violence."
The resolution has been adapted as a part of wide-ranging counter-measures to Kosovo's self-proclaimed independency Serbia plans to launch once ethnic Albanian leaders move towards separation from Belgrade's territorial integrity.
"This decision confirms full national unity. Serbia has the right and Serbia will continue, through a series of concrete steps, to prove that Kosovo is part of Serbia," Mr. Kostunica said, adding that unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence presents a "flagrant violation of international law."
Serbian Premier also said his cabinet had to make a historic decision and "forever invalidate all possible acts by Albanian separatists and reaffirm that Kosovo shall remain an integral and inalienable part of Serbia."
The annulment includes the EU's decision to deploy 2,000-strong mission to Kosovo to overlook local police and judiciary.
Kostunica also called the Kosovo Serbs to remain in their homes even if Kosovo Albanians decide to secede from Serbia, pledging Belgrade's full support for their well-being and economic existence.
In addition to the government's resolution and diplomatic offensive in UN headquarters in New York, Serbia backed the "Action Plan" which will be implemented once Kosovo unilaterally declares independence from Belgrade.
The details of this document have not been made public yet, but a number of Belgrade's high-ranking officials firmly rejected the possibility of military retaliation.
However, the part of the well guarded plan includes the temporarily withdrawal of Serbian ambassadors from several Western countries, including Britain, France, Germany and United States for consultations in Belgrade, as a first step of diplomatic protest over the announced decision of those states to recognize the secession of Kosovo.
