Serbian President: UN Court Kosovo Ruling Doesn't Answer the Question

Serbian President Boris Tadic said that Serbia's struggle to find a compromise solution on Kosovo will go on. Photo by the official website of the Serbian President.

The International Court of Justice Ruling on the legality of Kosovo's independence has not provided a material answer to the question posed to the Court, said Boris Tadic in a statement regarding the non-binding verdict.

The final conclusion on the issue is to be made by the General Assembly of the UN, according to the Serbian President.

Thursday the UN International Court of Justice declared that Kosovo's independence was “not illegal.”

According to Tadic, the Court evaded answering the question addressed to it by the UN General Assembly in 2008 by chosing instead to analyze the text of Kosovo's declaration of independence.

“It is clear that the Court did not declare a right to secession, but rather decided to exclusively examine the technical content of the declaration of independence,” said Tadic.

“The Court has evaded clarifying the essence of the question and left it and all its political implications to be discussed by the General Assembly, the highest body of the UN.”

The exact wording in English of the question posed to the Court is: “Is the unilateral declaration of independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo in accordance with international law?”

Tadic reiterated Serbia's firm resolution never to recognize Kosovo's independence, which it regards as a “unilateral ethnically motivated secession in conflict with UN principles.”

He added that if the independence has the significance authorities in Pristina see in it, then it would have “great implications” for secessionist movements around the world.

He said that Serbia would continue fighting for a solution acceptable for all parties.

Tadic further commented that many countries would be put under pressure to recognize Kosovo before an official position is taken by the UN and said that Serbia has sent out extraordinary diplomats in 55 countries around the world to defend its cause.

He expressed that a resolution of the UN General Assembly proposed by Serbia would be adopted this fall.

Boris Tadic also strongly called on all communities in Kosovo and Serbia to invest all efforts to maintain peace in the region.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!