Serbia Mulls Response to Countries Recognizing Kosovo

24 07 2007 Belgrade _ Serbia’s parliament on Tuesday began debating a resolution that envisions an “energetic response” towards all countries, including the United States and the European Union, that are contemplating recognizing the independence of Kosovo.

The draft resolution claims that “any unilateral recognition of Kosovo's independence would have unforeseeable consequences for regional stability.” It says the Serbian government will “immediately and energetically respond to signs by any international subject which seeks to jeopardize [Serbia’s] sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

The resolution does not specify exactly what measures Serbia would take against those countries that recognize an independent Kosovo. But the Prime Minister, Vojislav Kostunica, said earlier that Belgrade might downgrade or even cut diplomatic ties with such states.

Officials insisted the resolution was not a threat. “This resolution is not dissimilar to the one adopted last year when we entered Kosovo talks. This one stresses our willingness to enter constructive talks that could yield a compromise,” one senior official commented.

The debate in the 250-seat parliament could last for days.

It comes days after the US and the EU withdrew their latest draft of a resolution on Kosovo's future from the Security Council. Russia, a veto-wielding member of the council and Serbia’s close ally, opposed the resolution, saying it contained a hidden route to independence.

Instead, on Monday, the EU said it would try to open a new round of talks between Serbia and Kosovo through the so-called Contact Group, which includes the US, European powers and Russia.

The group is scheduled to meet in Vienna on Wednesday and negotiations between the Serbs and Albanians could restart in August or September.

Although Kosovo formally remains a part of Serbia, it has been under UN and NATO administration since 1999 after a 78-day NATO-led air war resulted in the withdrawal of Serbian forces from the province. In April, the UN special envoy on Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, recommended Kosovo be granted internationally supervised independence.