Dacic: There is no recognition of Kosovo, we do not want to renegotiate the CSM

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, said today that the Serbian leadership would not change its position on the recognition of Kosovo and would not allow Kosovo to become a member of the UN, adding that Serbia did not want to renegotiate the CSM, RTV reports.

Dacic assesses that Serbia's relations with the USA are good, but that there will be no change regarding the introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation.

He stated in the "Pravi Ugao" show of Radio and Television of Vojvodina that the issue of introducing sanctions was one of the two priority state issues.

"The decision made at the beginning of the Russian special operation in Ukraine is still in force. We consider the violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine to be wrong, but the issue of introducing sanctions is of the state interest of Serbia," Dacic said.

He clarified that the issue of Kosovo and sanctions against Russia were like principle of communicating vessels.

"Will those who demand sanctions against Russia change their attitude towards our territorial integrity", Dacic asked.

Dacic says that Serbia's position on territorial integrity is always the same, while it changes both in the West and in the East depending on the needs.

When asked about Kosovo's entry into international organizations, Dacic replied that he thought that Pristina essentially did not have the conditions to enter the Council of Europe, but that it had the necessary majority for that.

"We cannot prevent entry into the Council of Europe if they have a majority. The question here is whether they want it. But that would be the first time that it would be overvoted in that body," Dacic noted.

He also announced that if there was an attempt to admit Kosovo to the Council of Europe, Serbia would not participate in it.

"Why should we give an alibi to someone so that it turns out that we agree with it," Dacic asked.

On the other hand, he asks how it is that some international factors are against the existence of Republic of Srpska, while on the other hand they recognize the "Republic of Kosovo".

On the occasion of tomorrow's meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and State Department adviser Derek Chollet, Dacic said that he would also participate in those talks in the capacity of foreign minister and cited the American assessment and said that relations between the two countries were on the rise.

He specified that it referred to issues that were not disputed for the two countries, such as economy, culture, scientific cooperation.

When reminded that the American envoy Gabriel Escobar said figuratively that Serbia would wake up one morning and realize that Kosovo was independent, Dacic replied that he would not talk about who would be more surprised when he woke up one morning.

"They will understand that Kosovo is not really independent. It will be difficult for Belgrade to change its position. We are ready for compromises and plans," noted Dacic and added that Serbia had its own red lines.

"We don't want to renegotiate the CSM. It was signed, but we don't get it. If we sign something that we won't get, what will it do us? No recognition of Kosovo, no admission to the UN," Dacic said.

He also highlighted the issue of physical security and assessed that the arrests and shootings of children on Christmas Eve were a shame.

"It is important to preserve the peace, but also to show that we are serious," Dacic concluded.