Belgrade: Montenegro ’s recognition of Kosovo would be a “stab in the back”
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic warned that a recognition of Kosovo by Montenegro would be "a stab in the back not only for Serbia , but also for the diplomatic efforts to settle the future status of Kosovo"
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, October 07, 2008
"We would not see it in any other way but for what it would be, and that is a stab in the back not only for Serbia , but for our diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful and legal solution to the future status of our southern province of Kosovo ," the minister said.
Serbia "absolutely will not sit idle" if Podgorica recognizes Kosovo, he continued.
"That cannot go without consequences, especially not at this time. We do not want to make any threats to anyone, even though everyone in the region knows what that would mean. The Montenegrin government is well aware," he added.
Jeremic said that Serbia told Montenegrin officials in "a clear way" that "there will be no understanding towards their potential decision to violate Serbia 's sovereignty and territorial integrity".
"We've lived in the same country for a long time and we know each other too well, to give any additional explanations. We hope that Podgorica will not take a step that will disturb this peaceful, diplomatic process which is going through a very important phase, and the most important point of the phase will be the voting on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly," Jeremic said.
"There are only two days left, and after that about a year or two until the court makes a decision. In that period, we simply cannot have any understanding for a possible step by Podgorica towards recognizing Kosovo's independence," he said, adding that Podgorica should postpone making a decision until the ICJ gives its opinion.
