Pristina 24 August 2010 Petrit Collaku
Serbia's attempts to pass a UN resolution calling for dialogue on Kosovo's future status will fail, critics in Kosovo have said.
The UN General Assembly is scheduled to discuss the draft resolution on 9 September, nearly two months after the International Court of Justice, ICJ, ruled Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence did not violate international law.
But Belgrade's draft to the UN, which states unilateral secession is not an acceptable means to solve territorial disputes, is flawed, observers say.
Afrim Hoti, a professor of international law at Pristina University, said both the EU and US were against Serbia's move and would seek to modify the resolution as they regarded the status of Kosovo as finished business.
Hoti told Balkan Insight: “It is speculative to say anything now, but it is only a matter of time before Serbia has to modify it.”
He said that even if such a resolution was on the table for approval by member states, only those strongly opposed to Kosovo’s independence would do so.
“This number will not reach two thirds of the countries in the assembly and therefore, it is my opinion that this resolution will not pass,” Hoti added.
Hoti stressed the EU is a key player and it should make clear to Serbia that its road towards EU integration was divided from that of Kosovo.
He said the EU would also have a clear role if there was a unanimous stance on Kosovo’s independence by all EU member states.
“If the EU is consolidated in this way, then certainly it would have a strong position at the UN General Assembly and things would move toward the right way,” he added.
Vlora Citaku, Kosovo's deputy foreign minister, said that Serbia’s resolution contradicted the opinion of the UN's highest court.
She said that such a resolution cannot have a language or message that opposes the opinion of the ICJ, which was very clear on Kosovo’s independence.
“Starting from those reasons, I believe that the resolution will not pass as such,” she said.
Following the ICJ's advisory opinion, Kosovo’s government has said it will receive recognition of its independence from a further 35 countries worldwide, although none have arrived to date.
So far, Kosovo’s independence has been recognised by 69 UN member states with Somalia being the last on May 19, making it the fifth country to recognise Kosovo in 2010.
“You should bear in mind that there are several factors that have influenced there being even more recognitions,” Citaku said, such as the fact that many governments in the world were on holidays.
“I assure you that, based on contacts we have, there is a positive atmosphere towards countries recognising Kosovo.
“We are doing our part of the job and, in co-ordination with our international partners, we believe that soon we will receive new recognitions,” Citaku said.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, has said his government is working closely with international partners against the draft resolution and Kosovo’s sovereignty would be confirmed at the UN GA.
“We will achieve another victory and that’s against the Serb resolution at the UN”, Thaci said.
He has maintained Pristina will work with Belgrade on "practical issues" but insisted there would be no talks on the future status of the nation.
Serbia lost control over its former southern province in 1999 when NATO bombed it in order to halt a Serb crackdown on Albanians during a two-year war.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence in 2008, backed by the United States and most EU member states, but Serbia refused to accept it.
The UN General Assembly is scheduled to discuss the draft resolution on 9 September, nearly two months after the International Court of Justice, ICJ, ruled Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence did not violate international law.
But Belgrade's draft to the UN, which states unilateral secession is not an acceptable means to solve territorial disputes, is flawed, observers say.
Afrim Hoti, a professor of international law at Pristina University, said both the EU and US were against Serbia's move and would seek to modify the resolution as they regarded the status of Kosovo as finished business.
Hoti told Balkan Insight: “It is speculative to say anything now, but it is only a matter of time before Serbia has to modify it.”
He said that even if such a resolution was on the table for approval by member states, only those strongly opposed to Kosovo’s independence would do so.
“This number will not reach two thirds of the countries in the assembly and therefore, it is my opinion that this resolution will not pass,” Hoti added.
Hoti stressed the EU is a key player and it should make clear to Serbia that its road towards EU integration was divided from that of Kosovo.
He said the EU would also have a clear role if there was a unanimous stance on Kosovo’s independence by all EU member states.
“If the EU is consolidated in this way, then certainly it would have a strong position at the UN General Assembly and things would move toward the right way,” he added.
Vlora Citaku, Kosovo's deputy foreign minister, said that Serbia’s resolution contradicted the opinion of the UN's highest court.
She said that such a resolution cannot have a language or message that opposes the opinion of the ICJ, which was very clear on Kosovo’s independence.
“Starting from those reasons, I believe that the resolution will not pass as such,” she said.
Following the ICJ's advisory opinion, Kosovo’s government has said it will receive recognition of its independence from a further 35 countries worldwide, although none have arrived to date.
So far, Kosovo’s independence has been recognised by 69 UN member states with Somalia being the last on May 19, making it the fifth country to recognise Kosovo in 2010.
“You should bear in mind that there are several factors that have influenced there being even more recognitions,” Citaku said, such as the fact that many governments in the world were on holidays.
“I assure you that, based on contacts we have, there is a positive atmosphere towards countries recognising Kosovo.
“We are doing our part of the job and, in co-ordination with our international partners, we believe that soon we will receive new recognitions,” Citaku said.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, has said his government is working closely with international partners against the draft resolution and Kosovo’s sovereignty would be confirmed at the UN GA.
“We will achieve another victory and that’s against the Serb resolution at the UN”, Thaci said.
He has maintained Pristina will work with Belgrade on "practical issues" but insisted there would be no talks on the future status of the nation.
Serbia lost control over its former southern province in 1999 when NATO bombed it in order to halt a Serb crackdown on Albanians during a two-year war.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority declared independence in 2008, backed by the United States and most EU member states, but Serbia refused to accept it.
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