Politics

22.07.2003.

COVIC ON KOSMET - A PRESS CONFERENCE

Our project on the final status of Kosovo-Metohija is based on Serbia’s sovereignty over Kosmet and that fact is indisputable, whereas everything else can be subject to discussion, the head of the Coordination Centre for Kosmet, Nebojsa Covic, said.

Covic pointed to the fact that certain international factors had been attempting to prepare the public and politicians in Serbia to renounce their legitimate and internationally recognized right to Kosmet in exchange for a speedier inclusion in Euro-Atlantic structures and large investments. It is the determined stand of Serbia and Montenegro that its admission to the EU, Partnership for Peace and NATO is only possible within the current borders, Covic stressed. The stand of all the relevant subjects in Serbia must be clear: should part of the international community declare Kosmet’s independence without Serbia’s consent, that will imply the forced taking away of part of the territory beyond the positive international law and a risk that such a forceful precedent might be turned aginst the international community itself. One must not gain the impression that Serbia and Montenegro would accept a solution which would be below sovereignty over Kosmet, Covic emphasized.

Presenting directions for solution to the Kosmet crisis, Covic emphasized that Serbia and Montenegro is in favour of the broadest autonomy of Kosmet under international guarantees and supervision, within which the Albanian community is granted a high degree of independence in relation to Serbia. Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should commence following the arrival of the new UN special representative, in the presence of all the relevant international factors, Covic underlined. He specified that the final status of Kosmet cannot be discussed until all the provisions of Resolution 1244 have been implemented, full compliance with the Military-Technical Agreement, the Constitutional Framework and the Agreement on Cooperation of Serbia and Montenegro with UNMIK has been secured and appropriate standards of multi-ethnic life have been reached. Covic also demanded of the Hague Tribunal to continue with indictments against Albanian criminals for genocide in Kosmet.

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