“Serbia should recognize Kosovo without north”

Source: Tanjug

BELGRADE -- Serbia should offer the international community recognition of Kosovo but without its northern part which should remain within Serbia, Milorad Dodik has stated.

Milorad Dodik (Tanjug, file)

The Republic of Srpska (RS) president told Belgrade-based weekly Novi Magazin that reality was northern Kosovo, where majority Serbs did not accept the province's independence that was self-proclaimed by ethnic Albanians.
On the other hand, he said that Serbia had to realize that it is impossible, in political terms, to return Kosovo within its framework.

Dodik pointed out that it was a better time for such a solution earlier, and added that all interested parties should meet and see what reality is, in order to "end this story."

According to him, the solution is not to just avoid reaching any decisions so you are not remembered by history as a "bad guy."

Dodik believes that "some things" still can be returned, suggesting that, if the current situation remains, "you should never recognize Kosovo."

"You cannot agree to that, because tomorrow someone else will come and break off a part of your territory and then what?” the RS president stressed, adding that some messages have to be sent.

Dodik voiced belief that excellent relations between RS and Serbia would continue regardless of the change of government.

When it comes relations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he pointed out that 99 percent of property has been returned to Bosniaks and Croats in RS, including apartments that were socially-owned until 1990.

“However, Banja Luka and Sarajevo still remain alienated due to different perception of crimes and victims,” he said, adding that the problem lied in double standards to which RS cannot not agree.

"There was a crime in Srebrenica and RS should never forget Potočari, but no one should forget (crime against Serbs) in Bratunac and other victims," Dodik concluded.