Selaković: Serbia will use all diplomatic and political means to fight against the application of the so-called Kosovo for membership in the Council of Europe

Minister Selaković talked with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović-Burić who ― according to Minister Selaković ― had shown great understanding for Serbia’s views during her official visit to Serbia at the beginning of the year. He also met with Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, as well as Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Slovakia ― a convincing majority of countries that had always been on the side of Serbia, with a clear and principled position of support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia.

This was an opportunity to further acquaint them with our views and position regarding the application of the so-called Kosovo for membership in the Council of Europe”, said Minister Selaković. He noted, however, that the meeting with his counterparts from Ireland and Iceland was motivated by the fact that those member states were members of the Bureau of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, and that Ireland had taken over the chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers from Italy for the next six months.

“On this occasion also, Serbia has shown to be one of the few European countries with very clear positions regarding the basic principles of foreign policy, i.e. to be guided by the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations, to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other countries, and to respect internationally recognised borders”, said Minister Selaković. He emphasised that at today’s session some speakers, representatives of seven or eight countries, had spoken in an unprincipled manner about respecting territorial integrity and sovereignty of some European countries, without mentioning other countries whose territorial integrity had been violated, such as Serbia.

Minister Selaković said that the possible application for admission of Priština to the Council of Europe was contrary to at least two articles of the Statute of the Council of Europe. He added that any such application would also be contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and a direct act against preserving the unity of the Council of Europe ― that unity among states being one of the key principles defined by the Statute of the Council of Europe.

“Any kind of argument that the so-called Kosovo is a ‘black hole’ of Europe in which the Council of Europe is absolutely not present with all the values ​​it represents is a false argument, because the Council of Europe has a status-neutral presence on the territory of Serbia's southern province where it is involved in organising and implementing various projects,” Minister Selaković said, and reiterated that by no means could that be an argument used by the opposing side. “Should the situation turn in this direction, Serbia will fight against it with all diplomatic and political means, and I am convinced we will not be alone in that fight,” Minister Selaković concluded.