Kosovo Slams Serb Leader’s Partition Claim

Pristina _ Kosovo's leaders have condemned remarks by Serbia’s President Boris Tadic that Belgrade would consider Kosovo’s partition if all other options on its final status are exhausted.

"I don't want to comment on this. You have already been informed of our attitude towards Kosovo’s partition," said Fatmir Sejdiu, President of Kosovo.

Kosovo's parliamentary speaker, Jakup Krasniqi, argued Kosovo has its own internationally borders.

"All of those who aim to divide Kosovo, I want to say, it will end in nothing. Serbs lost their right to Kosovo with the unjust war against the Albanian majority," he said.

The comments were a reaction to Tadic’s remarks on Serbian state television on Monday.
 
He said Kosovo’s partition along ethnic lines will be considered by Belgrade if all other options regarding the former province’s status have been exhausted.
 
In the first such official comment, Tadic claimed the partition of Kosovo, Serbia’s southern province which declared independence in February “is not on the agenda” right now, and Belgrade insists on “the broadest possible autonomy for Kosovo within Serbia.”

“I’m ready to think about that option (partition) as well if we exhaust all other numerous alternatives. There are a lot of possibilities to find a solution within substantial autonomy,” Tadic said.

“But”, he added “if we drain all choices, we can then take up that alternative (partition).” Read more: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/13550/
 
Although Tadic did not specify where the line of partition would run, it is most likely to include the municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok as well as the northern half of the flashpoint town of Mitrovica.

This area in northern Kosovo is overwhelming ethnic Serb and Pristina’s influence holds little weight here.
 
However just half of the 100,000 Serbs living in Kosovo actually live in northern areas while the rest are in isolated enclaves that dot the former province.

The international community and Pristina authorities have consistently warned that Kosovo’s partition is not acceptable and last week, a United Nations official pledged that “Mitrovica will be united in the same way it was done with divided Berlin.” Read more: http://balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/13388