“Serbia cannot block Kosovo's UN membership”

Source: Politika, Tanjug

BELGRADE -- German Ambassador to Serbia Heinz Wilhelm has said that Serbia's compliance with Kosovo's UN membership is not a condition for Belgrade.

Heinz Wilhelm (Beta, file)

He added that it was not something the country's date for the start of EU accession talks depended on.
“Of course, this refers to here and now. However, Priština's request, which we support, will impose itself eventually - Serbia should not block Kosovo's membership in the UN,” Wilhelm told daily Politika.

He added that, ultimately, “Serbia cannot block Kosovo's UN membership”.

“If one day Kosovo submits such a request, the General Assembly will decide on it at the proposal of the UN Security Council,” the ambassador noted.

Asked about the conditions Berlin has imposed on Belgrade, he said there were no special ones.

“What we and the EU want is normalization of relations with Kosovo. The process of normalization is left to the two negotiating parties - Priština and Belgrade,” Wilhelm said.

According to him, Germany's position is clear - Berlin has recognized Kosovo and wants Serbia to establish good relations with it.

“Berlin's position should be viewed from this perspective when it comes to Serbia's final EU accession. We will not support the membership of a country which has unresolved issued with its neighbors,” the German ambassador concluded.