Serbia warns Montenegro against recogising Kosovo

07/10/2008

BELGRADE, Serbia -- Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic on Monday (October 6th) warned neighbouring Montenegro not to recognise Kosovo's independence, saying that Serbia will respond with unspecified retaliatory measures. Montenegrin politicians suggested last week that the country could join the United States and most EU members in recognising Kosovo since its independence is already a fact. Jeremic described such a move as "a stab in the back".

The UN General Assembly votes Wednesday on Serbia's initiative to refer the Kosovo issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a ruling. EU special representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith said that, while Serbia has a legitimate right to ask the ICJ for its opinion, the independence issue is closed. He was speaking at a conference organised by the Foreign Policy Club in Pristina. (Koha Ditore, Express, Zeri, Kosova Sot - 07/10/08; Beta, Tanjug, B92, AP, Kohavision, RTK - 06/10/08)