(17 Jul 2007) SHOTLIST
1. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica entering news conference
2. Cutaway of reporter
3. SOUNDBITE: (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:
"We don't believe that there should be a vote on the Ahtisaari (referring to UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari) plan at the moment, this vote could only be controversial. We believe that we should try to go beyond the resolution 1244. Therefore, we would support a new resolution which would say 'independence does not have to be the end result.' We would rather like to define a phase of talks between Belgrade and Pristina during which a last effort should be made to reach a common solution."
4. Cutaway of media
5. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian Prime Minister:
"First of all new talks are needed, and we do not need a new resolution for these talks. We have a good valid resolution and that is the resolution 1244. Talks can and should be continued based on the resolution 1244 and they should not be burdened with ideas from Ahtisaari's plan because those ideas, even in the form of the new minimalist resolution, imply the independence for Kosovo and are contrary to the UN Charter."
6. Serbian flag
7. Merkel and Kostunica shaking hands and then leaving conference
STORYLINE
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica stuck to his position on Kosovo after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday, rejecting a United Nations resolution that would lead to supervised independence for the Serbian province.
Kostunica said any further talks between the Serbian government and representatives of the Albanian majority in the province would not need a new resolution to take place.
"New talks are needed, and we do not need a new resolution for these talks. We have a good valid resolution and that is the resolution 1244. Talks can and should be continued based on the resolution 1244", he said during a press conference in Berlin.
His remarks were contrary to the German chancellor Angela Merkel who indicated that she would support a new resolution.
"We believe that we should try to go beyond the resolution 1244. Therefore, we would support a new resolution which would say 'independence does not have to be the end result.' We would rather like to define a phase of talks between Belgrade and Pristina", she said at the same news conference.
Kostunica also said independence for Kosovo would be dangerous not only for Serbia but for the region.
Russia on Monday blocked a new Kosovo draft resolution in the UN Security Council aimed at giving Kosovo supervised independence under the European Union.
The inability of the Security Council to act has raised concerns that the Kosovo Albanians may declare independence unilaterally.
Kostunica did not directly answer a question on whether Serbia would break diplomatic relations with countries that recognised an independent Kosovo.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
