Macinka: Czechia recognised so-called Kosovo under pressure

PRAGUE - Czech FM Petr Macinka said on Thursday the issue of Serbia's autonomous province of Kosovo-Metohija should be resolved through compromise and added that it was, above all, a Serbian and regional issue, rather than an international one, noting that Czechia should have acted more cautiously and more considerately at the time it had recognised the so-called Kosovo.

At a press conference with Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric, who was on an official visit to Prague, Macinka said the Czech government had yielded to certain pressure when the country recognised the so-called Kosovo in 2008, and noted that the move had likely been a result of then FM Karel Schwarzenberg's connections with former US Secretary of State, Czech-born Madeleine Albright, and her interests related to Kosovo-Metohija.

Macinka added that, at the time, he had served in the office of President Vaclav Klaus, whose position, he said, was "slightly different."

"We believed that Czechia could have acted a bit more cautiously, more considerately. As far as today's policy is concerned, we do not want to add a new kind of dynamics, or make theatric or sudden moves. Making such a gesture is simply not in the nature of our government. We think that the Kosovo issue is a Serbian issue, a regional issue, and not an international issue," Macinka said when asked about Prague's position on independence of Kosovo-Metohija.

He said the situation should be resolved through compromise.

"If I could make a recommendation to the Serbian side - even though I think I am not being asked to and should not be asked to because, in a situation like this, it is better not to listen to advice from outsiders - I think the best agreement is the one you yourselves make," Macinka said.