Milivojevic: Kosovo is an unavoidable topic at the Non-Aligned Movement summit, Serbia can strengthen support from countries that have not recognized it

The principles of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, non-interference in internal affairs and respect for international law will be at the focus of the Non-Aligned Movement summit, which will be held in Belgrade on 31 August and 1 September, and Kosovo will therefore be an unavoidable topic, diplomat Zoran Milivojevic told Kosovo Online.

Milivojevic notes that the principles established at the Bandung Conference in 1955 and subsequently reaffirmed at the First Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade in 1961 are once again gaining importance despite changes in international relations.

„First and foremost are sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference, equal cooperation, and so on. All these principles, including the primacy of international law, will be reaffirmed on Monday and Tuesday at the gathering in Belgrade. And that is the key point. The key point is that the world is changing, the international order is changing, and these principles are once again coming to the forefront of the activities and, I would say, the interests of the Global South, which will be represented here. Serbia will certainly make use of this. It will be at the forefront, and therefore Kosovo and Metohija is an unavoidable topic“, Milivojevic says.

Given the differing views within the Movement, he considers bilateral meetings with countries that have not recognized Kosovo particularly important.

„In bilateral meetings, we should expect this issue to be revisited, with countries that have not recognized it reaffirming their position in Belgrade as well. And through the main declaration or statement, whatever document comes out of this gathering, sovereignty and territorial integrity will certainly be at the top of the agenda“, Milivojevic says.

Speaking about the significance of the Non-Aligned Movement for Serbia in today's geopolitical circumstances, Milivojevic says its greatest value lies in the fact that, despite its reduced influence compared with the Cold War period, it has remained on the international stage.

„The Movement helps simply by continuing to exist. It has not disappeared from the global political scene. It does not have the weight it once had, but the principles on which it is based, the interests of the countries of the Global South, the fight against neocolonialism, the reaffirmation of the UN Charter and international law, are once again gaining importance“, Milivojevic stresses.

As he adds, current wars and crises are further bringing the issues of respect for international law and the principles of the UN Charter back to the center of international politics.

„As time goes by, they are returning to the global stage and gaining greater weight. In this sense, Serbia is gaining stronger arguments in defending territorial integrity and the issue of Kosovo and Metohija“, Milivojevic concludes.