Belgrade, Septembre 2, 2010

UN RESOLUTION ON KOSOVO / GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION

LJAJIC: UN SESSION ANOTHER STEP IN DIPLOMATIC FIGHT
BELGRADE, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - Minister of Labor and Social Policy Rasim Ljajic has stated that the U.N. General Assembly session that will discuss the draft resolution on Kosovo submitted by Serbia is "yet another step in the diplomatic fight ahead of us." "There is no room for triumphalism if the resolution is adopted or for despair if we do not get any support. The essence is that we prevent recognition of Kosovo's independence to continue after that day," said Ljajic for Vecernje Novosti. He underscored that "external pressure imposed on our country and the Kosovo epilogue of the GA session will not topple the Serbian government," but that social unrest of citizens might shake the authority. Ljajic said that Serbia is in a difficult situation and that its maneuvering space is rather limited. According to him, Serbia is pursuing a policy of "middle road," which means taking the least possible risk."We are walking on a thin line to protect our territorial integrity, preserve the stability of the state, continue the reforms and not jeopardize the European integrations. So far, no serious mistakes have been made on the road. It is true, however, that we do not have much space to act," said Ljajic.

WORDSWORTH, KONUZIN & DELAHUNT ON KOSOVO RESOLUTION
BELGRADE, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth has stated that Serbia may get stuck in the further process of its EU integration if it does not abandon its draft resolution on Kosovo. Russian Ambassador Alexander Konuzin has said that U.N. Resolution 1244 is the international legal basis for resolving the Kosovo issue, while U.S. Congressman William Delahunt, who has visited Serbia as part of a Congress delegation, underscored that it is clear that Serbia wants to resolve the Kosovo issue under the umbrella of the UN. Wordsworth said in a statement published by daily Press that he hopes Serbia's officials will take into account the words of British Foreign Minister William Hague and what other officials, like German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, had said, and that they will reconsider the possibilities. That way, the path towards forming a stand that would be harmonized with the EU, the organization Serbia wants to join, will be open, said the ambassador. Otherwise, there would be a risk of Serbia getting stuck and remaining trapped in the interspace between the past and the future, the ambassador also said. Ambassador Konuzin said that Russia supports Serbia's efforts to protect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and that Serbs should decide by themselves how to do it, it was publicized on the website of daily Danas. In an interview published by Politika, Congressman Delahunt underscored that it is fully clear that Serbia wants to solve the issue of Kosovo and that it wants to take part in the process under the auspices of the United Nations.

WORDSWORTH: SPAIN HELPING EU & SERBIA TO FIND COMPROMISE
BELGRADE, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen Wordsworth stated that Spain is working together with Serbia and the EU in their efforts to find a compromise over the content of the resolution on Kosovo-Metohija. Spain is cooperating with Serbia and the EU, and it is trying to find a compromise since we would all like to see the Kosovo issue resolved, Wordsworth said. According to him, there is no deadline for the negotiations except for Sept 9 when the UN GA should discuss Serbia's draft resolution. Therefore, Wordsworth believes that Serbia and the EU should draft a new resolution on Kosovo based on the principles on which Belgrade and Brussels may agree. The best way to find a solution is to withdraw the draft resolution and start drafting a new resolution which would be based on the principles we can agree on, and not discuss aspects of the document we cannot agree on, he stated. According to Wordsworth, the key problem with the resolution that Serbia submitted to the UN GA is that the EU has not been consulted on its content. Politika stated citing diplomatic sources that Spain drafted a possible version of the compromise resolution which could replace the one that Serbia already submitted to the UN.

SERBIA

TADIC BACKS INITIATIVE FOR REGIONAL COMMISSION ON WAR CRIMES
BELGRADE, Sept 1 (Tanjug) - President Tadic supported the initiative by the Coalition for RECOM to form a regional commission that would find out the facts about the war crimes and other serious human rights violations committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia, the president's press service has announced. Tadic told coalition representatives he wanted all the crimes solved, so the victims would receive justice and the region could focus on reconciliation and cooperation. The meeting was attended by Natasa Kandic from the Humanitarian Law Centre (Serbia), Vesna Terselic from Documenta (Croatia), Dinko Gruhonjic from the Independent Journalists Association of Vojvodina (Serbia), Dragan Pjevac from the Association of Families of Missing and Killed in Krajina (Croatia), as well as some other coalition representatives. The Coalition for RECOM is a network of non-governmental organizations, associations and individuals who advocate the establishment of a regional commission tasked with establishing the facts about the war crimes and other serious violations of human rights committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia.

RADUNOVIC APPOINTED CONSUL IN LIBREVILLE, VERALDI IN TERAMO
BELGRADE, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - The Serbian government appointed Momcilo Radulovic honorary consul general in Libreville, Gabon, and Roberto Veraldi honorary consul in Teramo, Italy, it was published in the latest issue of the Official Gazette. Radunovic was appointed Serbia's honorary consul general in the Republic of Gabon, with a seat in Libreville and the consular jurisdiction of the Republic of Gabon, it is said in the government decision. Roberto Veraldi was appointed Serbia's honorary consul in Italy, with a seat in Teramo and the consular jurisdiction of the region of Abruzzo, reads the decision.

SERBIAN CANDIDATE JOINS DISABILITY RIGHTS COMMITEE
NEW YORK, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - Damjan Tatic was elected to the UN expert body which is in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At a meeting of the Convention contracting states, which are 89 at present, Tatic (42) was elected to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with another 11 experts, as one of 23 candidates. Tatic joins this 18-member body with the experience he acquired in drafting of the Convention, which was adopted in 2006. Serbia ratified the Convention in 2009.

FRESCO EXHIBIT IN BRUSSELS WELCOMED AS EUROPEAN MESSAGE
BELGRADE, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - Culture Minister Nebojsa Bradic assessed upon his return from Brussels where he opened an exhibit dubbed 'Serbia - A Land of Frescoes' at the European Parliament, that with this exhibit Serbia sent a European message that was understood and welcomed. "The European message we sent from the seat of the European community is about the shared values of Serbia, Europe and the world and it was noted, understood and welcomed," Bradic assessed. He said that the exhibition of select frescoes from Serbia's medieval churches and monasteries at the seat of the EU on is a very important event in Serbia's international integration. The culture minister says the exhibit is also significant because it presents artwork that is not only very important to Serbia but is also part of the world cultural heritage. One segment of the exhibit showcases pieces that are on UNESCO's list of protected cultural sites.

BULGARIA STRENGTHENS POLICE COOPERATION WITH SERBIA & ESTONIA
SOFIA, Sept 2 (Tanjug) - The Bulgarian government has adopted a draft agreement by the interior ministers of Bulgaria, Estonia and Serbia on cross-border and police cooperation in exposing criminal acts. Under the agreement, the cooperation in prevention of threats to public order and security will be strengthened, the Bulgarian government said. Also, intensification of information exchange and special forms of cooperation, such as cross-border observation, setting up of joint investigation teams and other activities are included in the agreement. Training of police forces has an important place in the agreement.

KOSOVO – METOHIJA

NEW KFOR COMMANDER TAKES OVER
PRISTINA, Sept 1 (Tanjug) - The outgoing KFOR commander German General Markus Bentler handed over his duty to his compatriot successor Major General Erhard Buhler at KFOR's headquarters in Pristina. The handover of duties was performed by American Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander of the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Naples. Buhler said his mission in Kosovo is clearly defined and that he will work together with international community and Kosovo institutions. KFOR has become much smaller, but is still very capable and ready for any challenge, Bentler said at the handover ceremony. KFOR will continue to hand over to Kosovo police the protection of religious and cultural heritage according to NATO instructions, he said. This will be a gradual, not a hasty process, he added. KFOR will continue preserving peace and stability and security for all ethnic communities, and protect borders, he said. German Deputy Defense Minister Rudiger Wolf said Kosovo's stability is of a great importance to that of the entire region and urged all people, especially in Kosovo and Serbia to leave the painful past behind and strive for reconciliation. Fitzgerald said at that NATO, in proportion with the improvement of the security situation, would be decreasing its presence in Kosovo.