Serbia won't
accept 'rogue' Kosovo
Serbia's prime minister has said the country will never
recognise an "illegal and rogue" independent Kosovo, with no sign of
any likely deal on the eve of a final round of deadlocked talks on the future
of the province.
Serb and Albanian delegations are to meet in Baden, Austria
for a three-day attempt at a compromise on the status of the disputed province.
The negotiations so far have produced no agreement.
Mediators from the US, EU and Russia are to report to the UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-moon by December 10 about the process.
In the past several meetings, leaders of the ethnic Albanian
majority in Kosovo have rejected even considering anything short of
independence, while Serbia refuses to let go of its separatist region.
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said Serbia will never
recognise an independent Kosovo, calling it "an illegal and rogue
creation". "Serbia will show that unilateral independence means
absolutely nothing," he said.
The US and its allies have backed independence for Kosovo,
suggesting they might recognise the region as an independent nation if talks
with Serbia fail altogether. Russia however, has backed Serbia in its efforts
to keep Kosovo.
Mr Kostunica said "a recognition by America or any
other country cannot change anything and turn an illegal act into a normal and
regular thing".
Kosovo formally is part of Serbia, although Belgrade has had
no authority over the region since 1999, when a Nato bombing forced Serbia to
end a crackdown against the Kosovo separatists and pull its troops out.
The province has been run by the United Nations and Nato
since June 1999.
President Boris Tadic said Belgrade believes that a
compromise is possible, and will again present a proposal for what he termed
"essential autonomy" for Kosovo. "We are going there fully
convinced that we are right, and we will defend our position very firmly and
carefully," he said.
http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=6802470
Powered by ScribeFire.
