Nikolic: Greater Albania intentions worrying, situation in Balkans “sharpened”

By InSerbia with agencies - May 9, 2017
SOURCEB92

Tomislav Nikolic - Photo: Predsednik.rs
Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has told UNMIK chief Zahir Tanin that Serbia is committed to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.



Nikolic also said that the efforts of Serbia aimed at Kosovo not becoming a state are effective as long as the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, performs its role to the extent and in the manner as before, the president’s cabinet announced, according to Beta.

“Serbia is committed to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, however, certain Albanian politicians’ obvious intentions to create a Greater Albania are worrying. If Albanians think they do not have to make any concessions, and are at the same time provoking and threatening, they are very much mistaken. We are ready to concede to Albanians in Kosovo as much as the Community of Serb Municipalities will gain, and beyond that we cannot go,” said Nikolic.

Nikolic added that the situation in the Balkans has “sharpened,” but that he does not expect armed conflicts to occur.

The president expressed satisfaction with the status-neutral role of UNMIK’s efforts to resolve the problems on the ground, in the interest of all citizens in the province, and thanked the UNMIK chief for his personal contribution and efforts in maintaining peace and stability in Kosovo and Metohija.

Tanin said he hoped that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina would resume, and thanked the Serbian president for contributing to the calming of tensions in the region, a statement said.

Speaking about the activities of UNMIK, Tanin said that the mission’s efforts are focused on “specific activities and implementation.”

“We worked a lot in the field, providing support to the institutions in establishing the rule of law, human rights, dialogue between communities, contributing to peace and security and the fight against terrorism. Efforts have been made to ensure that the reports of the UN secretary-general about the situation in Kosovo are realistic and balanced,” Tanin said.

He thanked Nikolic for his strong support to UNMIK and conveyed the gratitude of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for Nikolic’s contribution to the preservation of peace in the region, the statement added.