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Serbian president Nikolic warns of Kosovo genocide Serbian president Nikolic warns of Kosovo genocide
(40 minutes later)
The Serbian president has claimed Serbs in Kosovo are living under the threat of genocide and would not rule out a partition between ethnic Serb and Albanian regions of the former province.The Serbian president has claimed Serbs in Kosovo are living under the threat of genocide and would not rule out a partition between ethnic Serb and Albanian regions of the former province.
Tomislav Nikolic, a former ultra-nationalist, was elected in May under a more moderate platform. But in a Guardian interview he criticised Kosovo, whose independence Serbia and its allies refuse to recognise. Tomislav Nikolic, a former ultra-nationalist, was elected in May on a more moderate platform. But in a Guardian interview he criticised Kosovo, whose independence Serbia and its allies refuse to recognise.
He signalled his intention to take a tougher stance than his predecessor in EU-brokered negotiations, arguing that, until now, only Serbia had been asked to make concessions in efforts to defuse the dispute and would now demand more concessions from Pristina. He signalled his intention to take a tougher stance than his predecessor in EU-brokered negotiations, arguing that until now only Serbia had been asked to make concessions in efforts to defuse the dispute and it would now demand more concessions from Pristina.
"What compromise has been done by Pristina up to now? None. All the talks has been on things Serbia will accept. Serbia hasn't set any conditions," he said. "It's not a compromise if Serbia is always backtracking step by step. It's not a compromise if Pristina says its independence is recognised and that it will realise its independence on our territory." "What compromise has been done by Pristina up to now? None. All the talks have been on things Serbia will accept. Serbia hasn't set any conditions," he said. "It's not a compromise if Serbia is always backtracking step by step. It's not a compromise if Pristina says its independence is recognised and that it will realise its independence on our territory."
A Serb enclave around the northern half of the divided city of Mitrovica refuses to accept rule from the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina, the focus of tension since Kosovo declared its independence in 2008.A Serb enclave around the northern half of the divided city of Mitrovica refuses to accept rule from the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina, the focus of tension since Kosovo declared its independence in 2008.
Its independence has been recognised by the UK, US and most western states, but not by Russia, China and a majority of the UN general assembly. Its independence has been recognised by the UK, the US and most western states, but not by Russia, China and a majority of the UN general assembly.
Kosovo's leadership has repeatedly called for the international community to help it extend its authority into the Mitrovica enclave and has been increasingly assertive in its efforts to force the issue.Kosovo's leadership has repeatedly called for the international community to help it extend its authority into the Mitrovica enclave and has been increasingly assertive in its efforts to force the issue.
Nikolic said any attempt to impose Pristina's rule could lead to a Serb exodus. "What if the Serbs move out. Who will accept the results of such genocide? That is one of the definitions of genocide: when you expel 40,000 people, regardless of whether they are women, men, [civilians or] soldiers, and when you change the ethnic composition of the territory. That is genocide.Nikolic said any attempt to impose Pristina's rule could lead to a Serb exodus. "What if the Serbs move out. Who will accept the results of such genocide? That is one of the definitions of genocide: when you expel 40,000 people, regardless of whether they are women, men, [civilians or] soldiers, and when you change the ethnic composition of the territory. That is genocide.
"There is a danger that Pristina would be prepared to go that far. The only armed force there, apart from the international community, is Albanian. I am convinced they wouldn't mind doing that immediately." He added that the only thing preventing such action was the presence of Nato troops."There is a danger that Pristina would be prepared to go that far. The only armed force there, apart from the international community, is Albanian. I am convinced they wouldn't mind doing that immediately." He added that the only thing preventing such action was the presence of Nato troops.
Nikolic underlined an earlier declaration, that he would never exercise power in Pristina, and called on his Kosovan counterpart, Atifete Jahjaga, to admit she would never govern in northern Mitrovica. Asked whether that implied the partition of Kosovo, he replied: "I don't know, because if you told me 20 years ago there would be no Yugoslavia, I wouldn't have believed you. If you told me Serbia and Montenegro would split, I would have also told you that was impossible. I would also have said that Germany would never reunite, but life brings us surprises. I can't run policy by imagining things." Nikolic underlined an earlier declaration that he would never exercise power in Pristina, and called on his Kosovan counterpart, Atifete Jahjaga, to admit she would never govern in northern Mitrovica. Asked whether that implied the partition of Kosovo, he replied: "I don't know, because if you told me 20 years ago there would be no Yugoslavia, I wouldn't have believed you. If you told me Serbia and Montenegro would split, I would have also told you that was impossible. I would also have said that Germany would never reunite, but life brings us surprises. I can't run policy by imagining things."
During the wars that split Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Nikolic was a senior member of the Serbian Radical party. Its leader, Vojislav Seselj, is currently on trial at the Hague facing charges of crimes against humanity for atrocities carried out by the White Eagles paramilitary group under his command. According to Serbian political observers, Nikolic took no direct part in the paramilitary wing, however he staunchly defended it in the Guardian interview. During the wars that split Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Nikolic was a senior member of the Serbian Radical party. Its leader, Vojislav Seselj, is currently on trial at The Hague facing charges of crimes against humanity for atrocities carried out by the White Eagles paramilitary group under his command. According to Serbian political observers, Nikolic took no direct part in the paramilitary wing; however, he staunchly defended it in the Guardian interview.
"I have committed no crime. And I am not ashamed of anything I have done since 1990 to today ... These so-called paramilitary units were in line with the then constitution of Yugoslavia," he said. "In that time, I was aware that everybody must do everything he can to defend his people and country ... All peoples from the former Yugoslav took part in the war. Some of them to gain states; the Serbs to save a state. But the Serbs did not manage to accomplish their task." "I have committed no crime. And I am not ashamed of anything I have done since 1990 to today … These so-called paramilitary units were in line with the then constitution of Yugoslavia," he said. "In that time, I was aware that everybody must do everything he can to defend his people and country … All peoples from the former Yugoslav took part in the war. Some of them to gain states; the Serbs to save a state. But the Serbs did not manage to accomplish their task."
Nikolic claimed the fact that the Serbs lost the war explained why there were more Serbs than other ethnicities facing charges at the war crimes tribunal, and not that it was Serbs under Slobodan Milosevic who committed the majority of atrocities.Nikolic claimed the fact that the Serbs lost the war explained why there were more Serbs than other ethnicities facing charges at the war crimes tribunal, and not that it was Serbs under Slobodan Milosevic who committed the majority of atrocities.
"There are fewer members of other nations and their sentences are somewhat milder. So the Serb people tend to believe that justice is not equal for everyone. But we have accepted the jurisdiction of the Hague tribunal and we therefore accept its judgements," Nikolic said, adding that the perception of bias left a "bitter taste". "There are fewer members of other nations and their sentences are somewhat milder. So the Serb people tend to believe that justice is not equal for everyone. But we have accepted the jurisdiction of the Hague tribunal and we therefore accept its judgments," Nikolic said, adding that the perception of bias left a "bitter taste".
He refused to confirm whether he would have handed over senior Serb war crimes suspects such as Radovan Karadzic or Ratko Mladic to the Hague, as his predecessor in the presidency, Boris Tadic, had done. He refused to confirm whether he would have handed over senior Serb war crimes suspects such as Radovan Karadzic or Ratko Mladic to The Hague as his predecessor in the presidency, Boris Tadic, had done.
Nikolic also repeated his denial that the mass killings of Muslims from the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995 constituted genocide: "I cannot go further than the Serbian parliament," he said. In March 2010, parliament issued an apology for the massacre that did not explicitly use the word genocide but recognised that the international court of justice had defined it as such. Nikolic also repeated his denial that the mass killings of Muslims from the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in July 1995 constituted genocide: "I cannot go further than the Serbian parliament," he said. In March 2010, the parliament issued an apology for the massacre that did not explicitly use the word genocide but recognised that the international court of justice had defined it as such.
Nikolic said his greatest challenge was to fill the estimated $3bn (£2bn) hole in the budget. He asked for international assistance and claimed his country's needs were small in comparison with the scale of the eurozone crisis, but warned creditors against making their help conditional on Serbia making concessions over Kosovo.Nikolic said his greatest challenge was to fill the estimated $3bn (£2bn) hole in the budget. He asked for international assistance and claimed his country's needs were small in comparison with the scale of the eurozone crisis, but warned creditors against making their help conditional on Serbia making concessions over Kosovo.
"Maybe someone thought we were ready to make various concessions if we were poor. But we expect the international community and our friends to help us to recover the economy in line with their duties and obligations," he said. "We don't want be treated like country cousins.""Maybe someone thought we were ready to make various concessions if we were poor. But we expect the international community and our friends to help us to recover the economy in line with their duties and obligations," he said. "We don't want be treated like country cousins."