Serb leader accepts Montenegro outcome

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2006
International Herald Tribune
Reuters, The Associated Press

BELGRADE The president of Serbia, Boris Tadic, on Tuesday became the first Serbian official to fully acknowledge the outcome of Montenegro's referendum on independence, saying that he recognized the results of the vote on Sunday, which will separate the tiny Adriatic republic from its union with Serbia.

"I supported the preservation of a joint state, but as a democratic president of a democratic republic, I recognize the expression of the free will of the Montenegrin citizens," Tadic said. He went on to call for future close cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro.

Official preliminary results on Tuesday confirmed a victory for the independence bloc, effectively ending a union with Serbia that dated back in various forms to 1918.

"As Serbia's president, I accept the official preliminary results of the Montenegro referendum," Tadic said. He appealed for a fast resolution of questions raised about the tally by the pro- Serbia bloc in Montenegro, to "remove all doubt" and make the results final.

The pro-union faction in Montenegro - which had campaigned to keep together the Balkan neighbors sharing the same language, Orthodox Christianity and culture - has demanded a recount, citing unspecified irregularities.

Representatives of the European Union, the United States and foreign monitoring groups have all said the vote was free and fair. Montenegro's election authorities reiterated Tuesday that 55.5 percent of voters in the republic had chosen independence.

The Serbian prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, stopped short of recognizing the result of the referendum, but said his government was "ready to acknowledge the results once they become final" and declared as such by Montenegro's election authorities.

"A referendum is an important event and the smallest doubt about its regularity has to be removed," said Kostunica, who had urged Montenegro to remain allied with Serbia.

Serbia and Montenegro was the last remaining shred of Yugoslavia, which began its breakup in the early 1990s. Serbia, with 10 times more people than Montenegro, footed the lion's share of the bill for a union that shared only a diplomatic corps, a Defense Ministry and numerous official cars. Serbia itself now becomes a sovereign state, Tadic stressed and urged his people to "work to build a better future."

"Montenegro will have a reliable friend in Serbia, both politically and economically," he said, adding that "there will never be any walls or barriers" between the two Balkan neighbors.

Tadic and Kostunica spoke after meeting in Belgrade with an EU envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, who oversaw the plebiscite in Montenegro, then flew to Belgrade to ensure that Serbian officials fully recognized the vote.

Lajcak also met with Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, who at first offered Montenegro only "preliminary congratulations." But his office later issued a statement wishing Montenegro all the best on its road to independence.

The U.S. ambassador to Belgrade, Michael Polt, congratulated the Montenegrins "on the peaceful, democratic" vote and urged Montenegro and Serbia "to work together to resolve the practical issues" of their separation.

The next steps in making Serbia and Montenegro sovereign states include formal declarations of independence, dissolving the central administration that has run their foreign and defense affairs, and dividing common assets.

Serbia inherits membership in international organizations, while Montenegro must apply as a new member. Both aspire to join the EU, but will now pursue the path separately.

Montenegro's departure means Serbia can now turn to more pressing issues such as negotiations on the potential independence of its southern Kosovo Province - which could be a far more painful blow.

Belgrade must also consider its own EU aspirations, now in limbo because it has failed to hand over the Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic to the tribunal in The Hague.

"Perhaps this is for the best," said a Serbian cabinet minister, Velimir Ilic. "Serbia has spent long enough worrying about others and spending money on others. The time has come for Serbia to work for itself." $@

BELGRADE The president of Serbia, Boris Tadic, on Tuesday became the first Serbian official to fully acknowledge the outcome of Montenegro's referendum on independence, saying that he recognized the results of the vote on Sunday, which will separate the tiny Adriatic republic from its union with Serbia.

"I supported the preservation of a joint state, but as a democratic president of a democratic republic, I recognize the expression of the free will of the Montenegrin citizens," Tadic said. He went on to call for future close cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro.

Official preliminary results on Tuesday confirmed a victory for the independence bloc, effectively ending a union with Serbia that dated back in various forms to 1918.

"As Serbia's president, I accept the official preliminary results of the Montenegro referendum," Tadic said. He appealed for a fast resolution of questions raised about the tally by the pro- Serbia bloc in Montenegro, to "remove all doubt" and make the results final.

The pro-union faction in Montenegro - which had campaigned to keep together the Balkan neighbors sharing the same language, Orthodox Christianity and culture - has demanded a recount, citing unspecified irregularities.

Representatives of the European Union, the United States and foreign monitoring groups have all said the vote was free and fair. Montenegro's election authorities reiterated Tuesday that 55.5 percent of voters in the republic had chosen independence.

The Serbian prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, stopped short of recognizing the result of the referendum, but said his government was "ready to acknowledge the results once they become final" and declared as such by Montenegro's election authorities.

"A referendum is an important event and the smallest doubt about its regularity has to be removed," said Kostunica, who had urged Montenegro to remain allied with Serbia.

Serbia and Montenegro was the last remaining shred of Yugoslavia, which began its breakup in the early 1990s. Serbia, with 10 times more people than Montenegro, footed the lion's share of the bill for a union that shared only a diplomatic corps, a Defense Ministry and numerous official cars. Serbia itself now becomes a sovereign state, Tadic stressed and urged his people to "work to build a better future."

"Montenegro will have a reliable friend in Serbia, both politically and economically," he said, adding that "there will never be any walls or barriers" between the two Balkan neighbors.

Tadic and Kostunica spoke after meeting in Belgrade with an EU envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, who oversaw the plebiscite in Montenegro, then flew to Belgrade to ensure that Serbian officials fully recognized the vote.

Lajcak also met with Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, who at first offered Montenegro only "preliminary congratulations." But his office later issued a statement wishing Montenegro all the best on its road to independence.

The U.S. ambassador to Belgrade, Michael Polt, congratulated the Montenegrins "on the peaceful, democratic" vote and urged Montenegro and Serbia "to work together to resolve the practical issues" of their separation.

The next steps in making Serbia and Montenegro sovereign states include formal declarations of independence, dissolving the central administration that has run their foreign and defense affairs, and dividing common assets.

Serbia inherits membership in international organizations, while Montenegro must apply as a new member. Both aspire to join the EU, but will now pursue the path separately.

Montenegro's departure means Serbia can now turn to more pressing issues such as negotiations on the potential independence of its southern Kosovo Province - which could be a far more painful blow.

Belgrade must also consider its own EU aspirations, now in limbo because it has failed to hand over the Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Ratko Mladic to the tribunal in The Hague.

"Perhaps this is for the best," said a Serbian cabinet minister, Velimir Ilic. "Serbia has spent long enough worrying about others and spending money on others. The time has come for Serbia to work for itself."


Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.