Belgrade, July 29, 2010

KOSOVO – METOHIJA

SERBIA SUBMITS DRAFT RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO TO UN GA

BELGRADE, July 28 (Tanjug) - Serbia has submitted to the UN General Assembly a draft resolution stating that unilateral secession is not an acceptable way for resolving territorial issues.

TEXT OF SERBIAN RESOLUTION TO U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

with regards to point 77. of the agenda of the 64th session of the General Assembly: "The demand that the International Court of Justice issue an advisory opinion on whether the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo was in accordance with international law" The General Assembly, Guided by the principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations, Given its functions and authority based on the Charter of the United Nations, Recalling its resolution 63/3 of Oct. 8, 2008, Aware that agreement has not been reached between the sides involved on the consequences of the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo from Serbia. Taking into account the fact that unilateral secession cannot be an acceptable manner of resolving territorial issues, 1. Acknowledges the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice issued on July 22, 2010 on whether the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo was in accordance with international law, 2. Calls on the sides involved to find a mutually acceptable solution to all open issues through peaceful dialog, in the interest of peace, security and cooperation in the region, 3. Decides to add to the temporary agenda of the 66th session the point titled: "Further activities after the presentation of the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on whether the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo was in accordance with international law."

JEREMIC: REALISTIC APPROACH TO CLOSE THE PANDORA'S BOX

NEW YORK, July 29 (Tanjug) - Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic warned that the consequence of a failure to agree on Kosovo would be the establishment of a universally applicable precedent that provides a ready-made model for unilateral secession, adding that a mutually acceptable solution must be worked out. "Serbia is committed to working with the international community to prevent such a disastrous scenario. What we seek is an equitable outcome that both sides can embrace," Jeremic stated in an article for the New York-based daily the Wall Street Journal. This is the only way to reinforce shared priorities, to normalize relations, and to complete the democratic transformation of the Balkans into a stable, prosperous region fully integrated into the EU, said Jeremic who is on a visit to New York with an aim to state Serbia's position on Kosovo after the ICJ advisory opinion before representatives of the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Jeremic also stated that the only way forward is to commence peaceful dialogue between the parties that produces a compromise, a mutually acceptable solution to all outstanding issues. Discussing the ICJ advisory opinion according to which Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence does not constitute a violation of international law, Jeremic said that the ICJ has left it up to the UN General Assembly to manage the political repercussions of the advisory opinion. This has been confirmed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who stated that the General Assembly "will determine how to proceed on this matter," Jeremic added. "The forthcoming debate will therefore focus on the consequences and implications of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in light of the court's findings. We must ensure that the outcome of this debate makes a positive contribution to global governance. We must find a realistic approach to close the Pandora's box opened up by Pristina," the minister stated. Jeremic once again reiterated that Serbia will never recognize the unilateral declaration of independence, implicitly or explicitly. Commenting the ICJ findings, he said that the ICJ neither endorsed the view that this unilateral declaration of independence was a unique case, nor Pristina's claim that Kosovo is a state. Moreover, the court failed to approve the province's avowed right of secession from Serbia, or any purported right to self-determination for Kosovo's Albanians. "Instead, the court chose to narrowly examine the language of the unilateral declaration of independence. This strictly technical approach made it possible to say that the text of the declaration itself did not violate international law," Jeremic underlined. According to him, the Kosovo Albanian authorities are deliberately misinterpreting the court's views as a legalization of their attempt at secession. This may produce extensive and deeply problematic consequences for the international community, Jeremic pointed out. "Ethnic minorities across the globe could take advantage of the opportunity to write their own declarations of independence according to the Kosovo textual template. This would put them in a position to plausibly claim that such texts sufficiently legitimize their respective acts of secession, and for their proclaimed independence to be in conformity with international law,".

DEJANOVIC: RESOLUTION SHOWS WHAT SERBIA WANTS

BELGRADE, July 28 (Tanjug) - Parliament Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic said that the goal of the draft resolution that Serbia submitted to the General Assembly of the UN regarding the ICJ advisory opinion on Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence is to persuade as many countries as possible to accept that text. Condemning secession and invitation to dialogue show what Serbia wants now, she said. In drafting the text, Serbia consulted all relevant domestic and international experts, she said. The text condemns th unilateral secession of Kosovo and calls for finding a solution through dialogue, Dejanovic told. Serbia has made the last move at its disposal by addressing the UN GA, which will also take into account the ICJ ruling, she said. The Kosovo issue could open a Pandora's Box, Dejanovic said. It can be a parameter of what can happen in any other country too, she added.

MINISTRY FOR KIM EXPECTS EULEX TO REMAIN NEUTRAL

BELGRADE, July 28 (Tanjug) - The Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) expressed its expectation that, after the appointment of the new EULEX head Xavier Bout de Marnhac who will assume office in October, the Mission will continue operating within the status-neutral framework. "We hope that the new EULEX leadership will succeed, in extremely complex circumstances, in using a balanced and moderate approach, like the one that characterized the mandate of de Kermabon," the ministry's statement reads. The ministry also expects that the new EULEX leadership will show readiness to continue the activities regarding the fight against organized and other types of crime. The ministry will continue insisting that EULEX should neither support nor resort to any type of unilateral actions that would violate the Mission's mandate and legitimacy or cause instability in the province. According to the statement, as long as the framework is respected, the ministry will be open to a partnership cooperation with the EU Mission as a legitimate international presence.

UNESCO COMMITTEE POSTPONES DECISION ON HERITAGE IN KOSOVO

BELGRADE/BRASILIA, July 28 (Tanjug) - The debate at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee on Serbia's proposal of the decision on the condition of conservation of medieval cultural monuments in Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) was postponed for the next Committee session, Culture Minister Nebojsa Bradic stated. At the 34th session held in Brasilia, the Committee, which handles the protection of the world's cultural and natural heritage, was to consider the condition of conservation of the Serbian monuments in KiM which are included in UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger. "The Committee held a debate on the proposal of the decision. In the debate, Serbia was in favor of adopting a decision on the condition of conservation of medieval monuments in Kosovo, and was against the politicization of this UN organization," Bradic said. However, at the proposal of France and Switzerland, the Committee voted on the postponement of the debate for the next Committee session which will be held in 2011, he said.A total of 11 countries voted for the postponement, three abstained from voting and six of them was voted for the debate. Serbia was supported by the Russian Federation, China, Brasil, Republic of South Africa, Mali and Mexico.

SERBIA – REGION

MEMBER OF BIH PRESIDENCY MEETS SERBIAN AMBASSADOR

BANJA LUKA, July 28 (Tanjug) - Croat member of the BiH Presidency Zeljko Komsic received Serbian Ambassador to BiH Grujica Spasovic. According to a statement, the meeting was held on Spasovic's initiative, who on this occasion handed the letter of President Tadic to Komsic. The officials discussed the relations between the two countries, Komsic's cabinet released in a statement. Komsic has recently stated that he supports the territorial integrity of Serbia without Kosovo, after which the Serbian president announced that he will request Komsic to explain his position.

BIH PRESIDENCY MEMBERS RECEIVE TADIC'S LETTERS

BANJA LUKA, July 28 (Tanjug) - Serbian Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) Grujica Spasovic delivered to BiH Presidency members in Sarajevo letters from President Boris Tadic regarding the ICJ advisory opinion. According to the local media, Spasovic said that the said letters are Tadic's personal memos addressed to BiH Presidency members concerning the ICJ advisory opinion. The Serbian ambassador said that he conferred with BiH Presidency Chairman Haris Silajdzic and a member of the Presidency Zeljko Komsic and delivered Tadic letters to them. Spasovic did not confer with the Serb member of the Presidency Nebojsa Radmanovic, as Radmanovic was visiting Banja Luka at the time, and Tadic's letter was therefore delivered to the head of Radmanovic's Cabinet.

SERBIAN PRESIDENT'S CABINET: SILAJDZIC WILL NOT VISIT BELGRADE ON FRIDAY

BELGRADE, July 29 (Tanjug) - Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) Haris Silajdzic will not pay a visit to Belgrade on Friday as certain media announced, the Serbian president's cabinet told. The date of Silajdzic's visit has not yet been agreed upon, the cabinet stated. Silajdzic was to visit Belgrade on May 25, at the invitation of the Serbian Foreign Ministry, but the visit was postponed at the last minute due to a failure of the plane that he was supposed to take. Silajdzic stated for the Radio and Television of BiH Federation that his visit to Belgrade is being planned, but that the date is yet to be fixed.

SERBIAN & SLOVENIAN AND CROATIAN RAILWAYS TO JOIN FORCES

BELGRADE, July 28 (Tanjug) - Serbia's Minister of Infrastructure Milutin Mrkonjic will sign an agreement on forming a joint railway company with Slovenia's Minister of Transport Patrick Vlacic and Croatia's Minister of the Sea, Transort and Infrastructure Bozidar Kalmeta, the Ministry of Infrastructure has announced.The three countries' ministers agreed in Slovenia recently to form a joint railway company in order to make railway transport more efficient and cheaper, which would, for example, shorten the trip from Ljubljana to Istanbul from 57 to 36 hours. The three officials said in Slovenia that such a company would be the right way to eliminate all the current weaknesses of the three railway systems, like complicated and slow procedures at border crossings for example. The ministers stated in Slovenia that railway transport was too slow in all three countries, making their railway companies noncompetitive. They also announced that the future company would be expanded by creating a joint carriage pool, and that there would be joint marketing activities. The ministers said that some other countries along Rail Corridor 10 would be invited to join the project. The three officials have formed a group of railway experts whose task will be to fulfil the agreement. The new company will be located in Ljubljana.

SERBIA – ECONOMY

GOVERNMENT & NBS WILL IMPLEMENT SET ECONOMIC POLICY

BELGRADE, July 28 (Tanjug) - The government and the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) will continue to implement the set economic policy aimed at preserving macro-economic and financial stability, Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and the newly elected NBS Governor Dejan Soskic said. The government and NBS will continue to coordinate activities in creating and implementing the monetary and fiscal policies while maintaining NBS independence, the government press office said. Former Governor Radovan Jelasic's will officially hand over the office to Soskic at a ceremony at the NBS Thursday, the release says.

FIAT TO MOVE PRODUCTION TO SERBIA, NO DAMAGE FOR TURIN

TURIN, July 28 (Tanjug) - The decision to transfer production of Fiat Multipla and Lancia Musa to Serbia will not jeopardize the Mirafiori plant in Turin, northwestern Italy, since the plant has already secured the output volume by sufficient production of more expensive models, Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne stated at a meeting with government and union representatives. The reduction in the number of employees and production capacities in the Mirafiori plant, which employs 5,800 workers, became likely last week when Marchionne unexpectedly stated that he plans to relocate production of certain models to Serbia, news agencies reported. Marchionne requested guarantees from the unions that his plants in Italy will be able to make profit, adding that if it is impossible to reach an agreement, Fiat will have to look for business opportunities somewhere else.

CHINESE COMPANY INTERESTED IN SERBIA'S ENERGY SECTOR

BELGRADE, July 28 (Tanjug) - Minister of Energy and Mining Petar Skundric talked with the delegation of one of the largest Chinese energy companies China Guodian Corporation, which expressed interest in investing in Serbia's energy sector, particularly in hydroelectric power plants, wind farms and environmental protection projects. After the meeting, Skundric told the journalists that he discussed with the Chinese representatives the possibilities of investing in the area of wind energy production and the construction of a large reversible hydroelectric power plant Bistrica in western Serbia. The Chinese delegation also showed interest in taking part in the tender for the construction of the thermoblock near Stavalj mine (southwest Serbia) and in cooperation with the German energy giant ERW and other partners on the project of construction of a reversible hydro power plant Djerdap 3 in eastern Serbia. China has an agreement on strategic partnership with Serbia and wishes to further improve economic relations with Serbia, Skundric said, adding that he will soon hold another talks with the representatives China Guodian Corp.Executive Vice President of China Guodian Corporation Qiao Baoping said that the company is one of five largest producers of electric energy in China, adding that it generated a profit of USD 17.8 billion in 2009.