"U.S. sees us without Kosovo; Russia Ukraine without Crimea"

Ivica Dacic says U.S. State Department official Victoria Nuland told him her country has been "investing in Kosovo's independence" for 20 years now.

As ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence eight years ago, the Serbian foreign minister asked Nuland, who was visiting Belgrade earlier this week, "how it's possible that Americans have stood for it for two decades."

The UDI proclaimed in its southern province is considered by Serbia to be a violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

• "When I told her that I thought the U.S. stood for Serbia's sovereignty in 1996, she said that they always stand for Serbia's sovereignty - but without Kosovo," Dacic recounted.

The minister, who serves in the country's caretaker government, spoke during a joint news conference with European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia David McAllister, to add that he heard words to the same effect from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, when it comes to Crimea.

• "I also told her (Nuland) that it's very interesting that I heard the same from Lavrov, who said Russia was in favor of Ukraine's sovereignty - but without Crimea. You see how different the interpretations are of various principles and terms," remarked Dacic.

And all of this, he continued, "brings up some other questions."

"Let us be a little naive now, having heard for the first time that they've been investing in Kosovo's independence for 20 years - but it does bring up some other questions. The question of (NATO's) 1999 bombing of Serbia, and for that reason I think the time has come to consider not only Iraq, but (also) the issue of how justified the 1999 bombing of Serbia was," the minister said.

McAllister did not wish to comment on Dacic's statements regarding the events that unfolded in 1999.
 Source: B92
14/7/16
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Related:
 

• Crimea and Kosovo - what's the difference?