Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremic stressed that Serbia will never, either explicitly or implicitly, recognised the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo-Metohija, noting that it advocates a just and compromise solution to the southern province.

In an article he wrote for the Wall Street Journal, Minister Jeremic, who arrived in New York to acquaint the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement with Serbia’s stance on Kosovo-Metohija following the announcement of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), warned that unless agreement is reached regarding Kosovo, a precedent will be created that can be implemented anywhere in the world.

He underscored that Serbia is firmly committed to cooperation with the international community in order to prevent such a catastrophic scenario from occurring, as well as that Serbia is inclined to a just solution to the satisfaction of both sides.

This is the only way to strengthen joint priorities, normalise our relations and conclude the process of a democratic transformation of the Balkans into a stable and thriving region fully integrated in the EU, Jeremic explained.

In his article, the Minister also noted that the only way forward is by starting a dialogue which will result in compromise and mutually acceptable solutions to all unresolved issues.

As for the ICJ’s advisory opinion, according to which the province’s declaration of independence is not in contravention of international law, Jeremic explained that the court has left it to the UN General Assembly to deal with political consequences of its opinion.

Jeremic emphasised that this has been affirmed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who stated that the General Assembly will determine how to proceed with this issue.

This is why the consequences of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence will be the focal point of upcoming debates, in light of the ICJ’s decision. We should try to reach a conclusion to these debates that will bring some positive influence on global management. It is vital that we find a realistic way of closing this Pandora’s Box, which Pristina opened, Jeremic expounded.

The Minister explained that the ICJ did not endorse the stance that Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence is a unique case, or Pristina’s claims that Kosovo is a state.

Moreover, the ICJ did not affirm the province’s right to secede from Serbia, or the right of Kosovo Albanians to self-determination, Jeremic observed, adding that instead, the court simply studied the way the unilaterally declared independence was formulated.

He stressed that this strictly technical approach enabled the court to state an opinion saying that the very text of the declaration is not a breach of international law.

The Albanian authorities in Kosovo are purposefully engaged in faulty interpretations of the court’s opinion, representing it as a confirmation of their attempt at secession.

Jeremic also added that this may cause far-fetched and troubling consequences to the international community because ethnic minorities throughout the world may use this option to draft their own declarations of independence based on the Kosovo model.

This will enable them to assert claims that such texts give sufficient legitimacy to their secession and that the independence they want to proclaim is not a violation of international law, Jeremic declared.

He also noted that if nothing is done to prevent this, separatist tensions will start jeopardising the borders of all multiethnic states, eventually leading to serious instability in the world.

We will never recognise the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo. This stance will not be changed. Serbia is still using all diplomatic means to oppose Pristina’s attempts to divide our country, he declared.

No democratic and proud country, whose territorial integrity has been threatened, would act otherwise, he concluded.