Serbia's FM: withdrawal of Kosovo recognition priority

NEWS 01.06.201814:35
Tanjug/Tanja Valič

Ivica Dacic, Serbia’s Foreign Minister, said on Friday he hoped that a number of countries which would withdraw their decisions to recognise Kosovo’s independence would rise and that that would be his ministry’s priority.

He added that the act of recognition was unclear in many countries because “there is no paper” about the decision and “it is vague who, when and in what form did that.”

“I ordered our diplomatic network to treat it (getting host counties to withdraw the recognition) as a priority, and we will continue with bilateral activities, but without much of pomp,” Dacic said in Serbia’s Parliament, presenting an annual report of his ministry’s work before the Foreign Affairs Committee.

He added he was aware that the countries which decided to reverse the decision of recognition had a problem with the West, but that the withdrawals so far proved the process was not irreversible.

Dacic said Belgrade expected “a fight’ to secure the extension of the UNMIK (United Nation’s Mission in Kosovo) mandate, since some countries, most of all the Great Britain, would opt for the termination of the Mission’s stay.

He said he was not happy with the number of new chapters the European Union would open in the accession talks with Belgrade.

“As many as they open we deserve more,” he said, adding he was displeased with the dynamics of chapters’ opening.

Dacic added Serbia had to meet all the requirements regarding its Euro-integration, but that “no one should expect the country to jeopardise its vital national interests for the opening of a few chapters,” adding Belgrade opted for a compromise with Pristina but that Kosovo was convinced its independence was a done deal.