Serbia abandons hard line on Kosovo

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton warmly welcomed Serbia's agreement to take on board the European Union's amendments to the resolution.

"We have been working together with Serbia and this result today is a reflection of our common commitment to Serbia's European perspective," she stated.

"The important thing will be that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina can start. This dialogue will in itself be a factor for peace, security and stability in the region," Ashton added.

US Ambassador to the UN Rosemary DiCarlo, responding to concerns raised by several countries that the ICJ ruling could encourage separatist movements around the world, said Kosovo was "a special case and not a precedent for other conflicts," Reuters reported.

British Ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant told reporters that the resolution "marks a new phase for both Serbia and Kosovo. It marks a departure from the past".

Romanian MEP Adrian Severin, the Socialists and Democrats group spokesman on foreign affairs in the European Parliament, welcomed the fact that the agreement had followed proposals set out by his group. The S&D group had insisted that a political solution on Kosovo's status could not be envisaged without the agreement of both parties and negotiations between them assisted by the EU.

Severin paid tribute to the work of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Baroness Ashton in securing the deal. "This is a significant achievement for the High Representative," he said.

"We are optimistic that in due time this development can lead to talks between the EU and Serbia about strengthening and deepening our relations with the longer-term perspective of negotiations for EU membership involving both Serbia and Kosovo," Severin concluded.

Commenting on the compromise, Austrian Green MEP Ulrike Lunacek, the European Parliament's rapporteur on Kosovo, said:

"The compromise reached by the EU and Serbia at the UN is a crucial breakthrough for Kosovo, Serbia and the wider region. By agreeing to drop its controversial resolution, Serbia has clearly committed itself to the path of compromise and dialogue with regard to resolving Kosovo's status. President Tadić should be congratulated for this. It also represents an important step for Serbia's EU relations and its path towards further EU integration."

"The ruling by the International Court of Justice on Kosovo's independence declaration must play a central role in deliberations on the way forward for Kosovo. It is therefore welcome that Serbia has agreed to drop its draft resolution dubbing the ICJ ruling as 'unacceptable'. It should now engage in constructive dialogue with the authorities in Pristina with a view to defining the relationship between Serbia and Kosovo going forward," Lunacek stated.

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek, who yesterday (9 September) met Ramë Manaj, deputy prime minister of Kosovo, stated after the meeting:

"The European Parliament has always supported Kosovo and its European aspirations. The EP, in its latest resolution (8 July), has urged the remaining EU member states to recognise its independence. Yet we call on both the Kosovo and Serbia's leadership to solve the issues which keep them apart, through peaceful and constructive dialogue."

"The time has come to sit together around the negotiating table and listen to each other to broker an agreement which is stable and final in the interest of both Kosovo and Serbia's citizens," Buzek said.

"I welcome the agreement reached by the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, and the Serbian President Boris Tadić on the resolution to be voted during today's UN General Assembly. It shows that capable diplomacy and good will lead to results," he added. 

The Kosovan government hailed the deal, which it said "throws off" any further negotiations on the status of the breakaway territory, according to AFP.

"The government of Kosovo is pleased that a draft resolution prepared by Serbia is revoked from discussion and welcomes the decision of Serbia to accept a new draft resolution prepared by the EU and US," it said.

Serbia's government described the compromise as one "reached in cooperation with the European Union," but did not make any mention of recognising Kosovo's independence.