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27.07.10
Belgrade wants negotiations to be postponed until debate at UN
Mutual resolution by Serbia and the EU is not very likely at the moment because Brussels remained firm in its stance that proposal for the UN General Assembly has to refer to 'technical negotiations' with Pristina. Belgrade suggested somewhat moderated variant by not insisting that 'negotiations over the status' are mentioned in the wording of the resolution in order to reach a compromise, but the Chief of the EU foreign affairs Catherine Ashton has not replied positively until so far, 'Blic' learns at Serbia Government.
Belgrade is also seeking from the EU not to insist that negotiations with Pristina begin before September, i.e. before session of the UN General Assembly. The EU Council of ministers yesterday debated over importance and possible consequences of the advisory opinion by the ICJ over Kosovo. The ministers remained not united in their stances since the countries which have not recognized Kosovo insist that no agreement can be reached on the basis of unilaterally proclaimed independence.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said yesterday that a special envoy by Serbia President Boris Tadic had presented to the EU foreign ministers the stance by Serbia for settlement of Kosovo problem and that the proposed stance is the one of reconciliation and seems to open possibilities for negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.
He further said that the EU ministers had talked about sending a pro-European President Tadic positive message and that the European Commission is ordered to prepare opinion over readiness by Serbia to get a candidate status for the EU membership. Frattini also said that 'for the majority of the EU members and other countries of the world, opinion by the ICJ means that everything can be discussed regarding Kosovo except the status'.
The Foreign Minister of Cyprus Marcos Kyprianoy said ahead of the meeting that the solution of Kosovo status 'has to be found through negotiations over territorial integrity and not through unilateral statement over independence'.
'So our stance has not changed - Cyprus is calling on the two sides to start negotiations in order to find mutually acceptable solution. The ICJ opinion is very limited to mere procedural matters', he said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Anhel Moratinos said that 'the ICJ opinion shall not have any influence on Spain to change its stance over no recognition of Kosovo'.
The Government of Greece expressed readiness to 'undertake initiative and contribute to every process that can lead to a long-term solution that shall contribute to the stability of the West Balkans, that country's Foreign Ministry announced yesterday.
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