Jeremic: Serbs, Albanians could reach historic compromise

Jeremic specified that this would happen once the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reports back to the UN General Assembly regarding the legality under international law of the ethnic Albanian unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence.

The proclamation was made two years ago, and was rejected by Belgrade.

Now, speaking in Lima, Peru, Jeremic stated that Serbia was ready to engage in dialog.

"My country is ready to engage in a good-faith dialog that produces a solution to the Kosovo problem acceptable to all parties. Serbia will be constructive in the talks to come, for a solution needs to be found, requiring flexibility on all sides."

At the 40th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Lima, Jeremic underlined that Serbia "will never accept an imposed outcome that aims to unilaterally terminate our sovereign rights in Kosovo", adding that "this is neither just nor legitimate, or sustainable".

Jeremic underscored that the consequences of a positive outcome would not only be felt in our corner of Europe, adding that they would provide a critical boost to all who are committed to consolidate a rules-based international order for the 21st century-"one in which unilateralism is clearly seen as a threat to stability, and one in which reaching agreement is an essential element in enhancing the security of the world".

"The separatists have tried to forcibly change the borders of Serbia, they have not succeeded, thanks in large part to the solidarity of over three quarters of OAS countries which have not recognized Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. In the name of the Republic of Serbia, I express my profound appreciation for their principled position, rooted in the basic precepts of international law," Jeremic stated.

In the meantime, Serbian Kosovo Ministry State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic disagreed with statements made regarding Kosovo by the UK ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth.

He does not agree with Wordsworth's opinion that new Kosovo status talks would cause instability in the region and that relations between Serbia and Kosovo and Serbia's EU integration are no longer separate issues.

Ivanovic said that the current unresolved status of Kosovo is what can lead to instability in Serbia, adding that this instability will last until the status issue is solved.

He said that the world and Europe must realize that they cannot satisfy the Albanian side with accepting the unilateral secession of Kosovo, because it endangers the stability of Serbia.

"The secession of Kosovo, the way that it has started, leads to extremist policies, we were able to see that in the past, and Europe has seen it as well. I think that in order for the Balkans to stabilize, Serbia must be stable, and it can only be stabilized with new negotiations that would lead to an acceptable solution," Ivanovic said.

Also, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said that Serbia's stance that it would not recognize Kosovo in order to join the EU was very clear.

This was his reaction to the statement made by UK Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth.

"Serbia will never directly or indirectly recognize the illegally proclaimed independence of Kosovo," he told daily Vecernje Novosti.

As far as the EU questionnaire is concerned, Djelic said that all of the questions, even the ones related to territory and population, will be answered in accordance with the Serbian Constitution, and where it is being applied, with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244.

"Serbia accepts this resolution, because it is in accordance with our policies regarding Kosovo," he concluded.