Promotion of reconciliation and resolving all open-ended issues through dialogue is of essential importance for the West Balkans, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stated in Belgrade after the meeting with Vuk Jeremic, the Serbian Foreign Minister and newly elected Chair of the UN General Assembly. Sandra Pekic has more.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon especially pointed the significance of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and a compromise-based solution to be achieved in order to improve life of all citizens of Kosovo. Reconciliation and dialogue are prerequisites of the European future of the formerly conflicted region, Ban emphasized. He assessed that his visit to Belgrade is symbolic, as this is the first visit to Serbia and, at the same time, a last meeting with Vuk Jeremic in his capacity of the Serbian Foreign Minister. Ban Ki-moon expressed satisfaction for having opportunity to cooperate closely with Jeremic over the next year, and conviction that the future General Assembly Chair will rise above national interests and respond to global challenges.
Minister Jeremic stated that Serbia will chair the UN General Assembly fairly and adhere to procedures and the UN Charter. He assessed that those rules are not favorable for secessionist territories such as Kosovo.
"The battle for protection of territorial integrity is our constitutional, political, moral, and historical obligation, which will be, I am sure, carried out by the future government. Kosovo is a province, which is a part of Serbia, according to the Constitution, and sovereignty has been also confirmed by Resolution 1244. This is why we expect all international factors to adhere to the Serbian Constitution, or at least to Resolution 1244 that has confirmed Belgrade’s sovereignty over Kosovo," Jeremic said.
He has reminded that Serbia that was excluded from the UN 20 years ago today chairs the General Assembly. It has not been easy to gain trust of the entire world, Jeremic said emphasizing that Serbia is ready to take over the chairmanship of the UN General Assembly and fulfill all obligations and meet expectations.