http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=03&dd=27&nav_i
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Tanjug News Agency
March 27, 2008
"Serbia forming diplomatic front on Kosovo"
LONDON - A senior U.S. analyst says Serbia and Russia
are creating a diplomatic front aimed at blocking
recognition of Kosovo.
Prof. Charles A. Kupchan, a senior fellow at the
Council on Foreign Relations, has expressed his belief
that Serbia is trying, with the aid of Russia and
other countries, to form a diplomatic front in order
to oppose the recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral
independence and deny it membership in international
institutions.
“I believe that Belgrade is planning to follow up its
energetic resolve by initiating a battle on several
fronts, in an attempt to change what happened several
weeks ago,” Kupchan told the BBC.
“They are now mentioning that they could address the
UN General Assembly, and then the International Court
of Justice which is expected to rule on this issue,”
Kupchan said, commenting on Serbia's intention to
launch an initiative for the UN General Assembly to
seek the Court’s opinion as to whether Kosovo’s
unilateral declaration of independence was in keeping
with international law.
Asked whether this was Belgrade's actual strategy or
purely an integral part of the election campaign, the
analyst said that "both" would be closer to the truth
than "either one or the other."
“I believe that what we have here are really genuine
efforts to reverse the situation resulting from the
declaration of the independence, and to form a
diplomatic coalition that would be in favor of such
efforts,” he underlined.
In Kupchan’s opinion, Belgrade’s efforts are more than
just political posturing for the benefit of the
domestic electorate.
Stressing that it was very difficult to separate
domestic politics from sincere foreign policy
manoeuvring, the analyst warned that it would be very
difficult, if not impossible, for Serbia to overturn
the Kosovo independence declaration.
“One issue that, I think, will continue to play a part
is partition. The northern part is still factually,
both politically and physically, a part of Serbia, and
it will be very difficult for the international
community to change that state of affairs. And, at
least as far as I can see, that’s an area where Serbia
could ultimately succeed in gaining what it wants,” he
predicted.
Serbian News Network - SNN
[email protected]
http://www.antic.org/
