Belgrade calls on African states to reject Kosovo’s secession
Serbian President Boris Tadic has called on members of the African Union to support a resolution to be submitted by Serbia to the UN General Assembly in September, which will seek from the International Court of Justice an avis on the legality of the unilaterally-declared independence of Kosovo.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, June 30, 2008
"In the name of the creation of a more democratic future for all those living in our province of Kosovo, as well as in the rest of Serbia and the region, I am asking your support for a resolution we will submit to the UN General Assembly in September", Tadic said in a speech at the summit of African Union, which began on Monday in Egypt's resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Tadic thanked African states which did not recognize Kosovo's independence, underlying that they had thus shown their respect to the principles of international law.
"We are well-aware that you had been advised to recognize Kosovo's secession, and in the name of the Republic of Serbia, I am expressing my extreme gratitude to the huge majority of you who had refused to do so", Tadic said.
Only four African states - Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Burkina Fasso - have recognized Kosovo's secession.
"You have rightly seen the precedent of Kosovo and taken note of its potential consequences - current conflicts could escalate, frozen conflicts could heat up again, while new ones could erupt", the Serb president said.
Tadic will meet with some 20 heads of state during his stay at the summit.
Belgrade's proposal for the resolution in front of the UN General Assembly needs the support of the majority of 192 UN member states.
The African Union has 53 members and it is one of the largest voting blocks in the UN General Assembly.
