Monday, November 21, 2005

Serbian parliament adopts resolution on Kosovo

BELGRADE, Nov 21 (Hina) - The Serbian parliament on Monday adopted a resolution on Kosovo and Metohija, which reads that solutions for Kosovo's future status must be sought within efforts to preserve the sovereignty of Serbia and Montenegro and ensure "substantial autonomy" for Kosovo Albanians.

The resolution was supported by 205 of 250 MPs, with deputies of the Democratic Party of Serbian President Boris Tadic and the Social Democratic Party of Nebojsa Covic abstaining.

Introducing the resolution, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that along with "substantial autonomy" for Kosovo Albanians, autonomy had to be ensured for the Kosovo Serbs as well. He added that national minorities in European countries did not have the right to self-determination.

According to previous interpretations of "substantial autonomy" by Serbian officials, the term means more than autonomy and less than independence, including international guarantees which none of the sides will be able to change unilaterally.

Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the G17 Plus party, Miroljub Labus, said that Serbia wanted a "historical agreement with the Albanians" on Kosovo's status, adding that Kosovo's road to Brussels did not go via Tirana but via Belgrade.

A vice-president of the Serb Radical Party, which voted for the resolution, said that the debate on the resolution should have been much tougher and that the government was responsible for negotiations on Kosovo's status, regardless of the composition of the negotiating team.

The head of the Democratic Party club of deputies, Dusan Petrovic, said that Serbian President Boris Tadic's position on the division of Kosovo into two entities, one for the Serbs and the other for the Albanians, each having its own institutions, was acceptable.

President Boris Tadic, who was not invited to the session, said in a statement that he was ready for the negotiations and that the proposal on two entities was a realistic and tenable solution regulating relations between Kosovo's Serb and Albanian communities in the most appropriate way.

1 comment:

Kosovar2006 said...

'autonomy had to be ensured for the Kosovo Serbs as well' Autonomy within autonomy I'm sure that is sustainable. Serbian parliment is so confused at the moment they don't even know what they want They just can't face the fact Kosova is lost forever.

I wonder why the international community doesn't pressure these resulutions (Don't mention 1244 please)

'...adding that Kosovo's road to Brussels did not go via Tirana but via Belgrade.

Kosova goes direct PRISHTINA TO BRUSSELS

I want to hear some Serbs predictions,what will happen if Kosova does get independence?Will they fight? Will they try invade?