Djukanovic sends protest letter to NATO PA president

BELGRADE - The head of Serbia's standing delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) Vladimir Djukanovic has sent a letter of protest to the body's President Michal Szczerba following announcements the status of the so-called Kosovo's assembly in the NATO PA could be promoted from observer to associate member, and noted that the Serbian parliament could reassess the purposefulness of further participation in the organisation's work unless the decision was reconsidered.

"It is with great disappointment and concern that we have received the news that promoting the status of the so-called 'Kosovo Assembly' in the NATO PA from observer to associate member was considered at a recent meeting of the NATO PA Standing Committee in Tallinn, so we ask you for an explanation of this decision, which, to us, is completely unexpected and groundless," Djukanovic wrote in the letter.

According to a statement released by the Serbian parliament, Djukanovic noted that the so-called Kosovo was not an independent state and that the move not only created a precedent within the organisation but also directly breached UNSCR 1244.

"What is more, the so-called 'Kosovo' is not only not a UN member state, but the majority of UN member states, including NATO PA member states, do not recogise the unilaterally declared independence of the so-called Kosovo. I would also like to remind you that 28 states have derecognised the independence of the so-called Kosovo in the past several years," Djukanovic wrote, noting that the NATO PA decision had been announced on March 24, the day when Serbia was commemorating the 25th anniversary of the start of the 1999 NATO aggression on Serbia.

"Also, confirming this decision would represent a 'reward' for the reckless behaviour of the representatives of the Pristina provisional institutions and the terror against the Serb population in Kosovo-Metohija," he added.

"I would like to point out again clearly that we strongly oppose the awarding of associate membership status to the so-called Kosovo assembly, and we hope the decision will not be confirmed at the next NATO PA session, so we expect firm guarantees from you that the issue will not be put on the agenda of the next session," Djukanovic said.

He noted that he was confident that, in view of the above, the sensitive issue would be reconsidered carefully.

"Otherwise, the delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia will be forced to consider carefully the purposefulness of its further participation in the work of the NATO PA," Djukanovic added.