Officials react to diplomat's statement about "Kosovo in UN"

"Serbia respects the policy of the United States, but has its own policy," Prieme Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday.
Source: Tanjug Friday, December 25, 2015 | 10:54

(Tanjug, file)

He in this way reacted to U.S. ambassador to Serbia's statement that "Kosovo should join the UN as part of normalization process" - something that, according to the Serbian prime minister, is "never easy to read."
"All I can say this morning is that it is not easy for us as a small country to provide an answer to what (Michael) Kirby has said, all I can say and respond to that I is - Serbia has its own policy. We respect the policy of the United States, they are the world's superpower, but we have a policy and stick to our policy," said Vucic.

He added that Kirby's stance does not come as "particularly big news" since the United States recognized Kosovo in 2008 - however, it is something "we never find easy to read," said to Vucic.

Reacting to the same statement made by the U.S. diplomat, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on Friday said, "Serbia, of course, will not support Kosovo's membership in international organizations that would mean legalization of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo, including in the United Nations."

Dacic said that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is "status neutral," and reminded that the U.S. and Serbia have "a different view of the issue of the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo" - which, he added "could also be seen when Kosovo's request to join UNESCO was considered."

Dacic, however, pointed out that "as the ambassador said himself, there are also differences on this issue between the United States and the European Union, where five countries have not recognized the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo."

"Serbia will not change its principled policy, with full commitment to dialogue as the only way to resolve all outstanding issues," he has been quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.