Council for National Security meeting shrouded in secrecy
BELGRADE -- A session of the Council for National Security was held in Belgrade today.
Source: B92, Beta
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The council was formed in late May last year and this was its first meeting.
The body is presided over by the president of the republic, and its members include the ministers of the interior, defense and justice, the chief of the Serbian Army general staff, the BIA director and his department chiefs, and the head of the military intelligence (VOA).
It was earlier announced that the session was scheduled last night by President Boris Tadić, as part of an agreement between him and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica, that put an end to the ruling coalition crisis.
The council was said to be looking at the Action Plan the government adopted earlier. The content of the plan, put together to prepare Serbia's answer to possible unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence by the province's ethnic Albanians, has been declared a state secret.
The meeting of the council today will be followed by a government session on Thursday.
By that time, another document related to the Kosovo status crisis, defining Serbia's legal moves, will have been completed.
This was confirmed by the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) deputy president Aleksandar Popović, who was a guest on a B92 Radio program this morning.
He also explained that this document and the Action Plan are not connected, since the decision on the legal action Belgrade will take is not contained in the plan itself.
"The Action Plan is still a state secret, therefore, I cannot comment on it, but, what it means is that each ministry has a set of measures to undertake, in order to make those Serbian citizens in Kosovo and Metohija who are loyal to the state feel that they are a part of that state as much as possible."
"They will have the same rights and the same possibilities as other citizens who live in other parts of Serbia," Popović said.
I love it how Serbia pretends like anyone is asking for its acquiescence in the matter. All the "action-plans", "diplomatic offensives", and "legal actions" in the world, will not stop Kosova from declaring its independence unilaterally, and having that independence unilaterally recognized by 90+ states. No body is concerned with Serbia's or Russia's or Romania's protests. If most of the world recognizes you, a few oddballs here and there will certainly not matter. Albanians will do anything to be free from Serbia forever....this is what Serbia has failed to understand for 100 years.
(Sidi, 13 February 2008 07:03)
President Tadic of Serbia and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica have first and last obligation towards Serbia and its citizens.
Kosovo and Metohija is a province of Serbia and therefore they have first and last obligation to citizens living there. If there are citizens in Kosovo who want to go down some different path this needs to be discussed with Belgrade, however the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their heritage must be protected by the Government of Serbia and there is no other choice.
All Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their property must be protected by the Serbian Government.
The Serbian diaspora will never ever accept an illegal declaration of independence by Albanian separatists.
It is still not too late for the US and the EU to encourage the separatists to seek dialogue with Belgrade.
The tragedy is the world is watching US and EU support for precedent of, "begining of newly formed separatist states from sovereign countries".
Unbelievable!
(S. Harris, 13 February 2008 03:40)
If you were following anything other than media propaganda, you would realize that Boris Tadic has NOT been behind the independence of KosovO.
Moving forward, any negative comments regarding Mr. Kostunica's standing should be directed at the States as they were the ones to "PUT" him in the position he's currently in.
Finally, Serbia is not in a dark place, rather in a forefront & a pattern which will enable the rest of the world to recognize that giving independence to KosovO would be a grave error.
Liam... Perhaps if all terrorist organisations around the world created themselves an entity and declared independence we'd all be a better place? Shall we ask all countries in the world to give up a percentage of their land? You do talk nonsense.
(Ratko, 13 February 2008 00:16)
God love you Liam.
As if Serbia was the cause of all of this.
When those in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo acknowledge their own guilt, there may be be some light shone on the "dark place".
(Tom O'Donoghue, 12 February 2008 23:55)
Mr Tadic has a once-off opportunity to show the world the good qualities of Serbia and its people that have not been in the global news for years. He should, as President, be the first to welcome and recognize the independence of Kosovo. He should wish the new country peace, prosperity and success. He should say that he hopes that Serbia and Kosovo can be close and co-operative neighbours. Many Serb citizens would welcome this, and all Kosovars would appreciate it, as they have no desire for negativity. Let there then be a parliamentary election in Serbia and Mr Tadic and allies would win. Mr Kostunica uses negative and threatening language against Kosovo, and this serves to remind the world of the dark place where Serbia was in the 90s.
(Liam C, 12 February 2008 22:44)
God love you Liam.
As if Serbia was the cause of all of this.
When those in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo acknowledge their own guilt, there may be be some light shone on the "dark place".
(Tom O'Donoghue, 12 February 2008 23:55)
Mr Tadic has a once-off opportunity to show the world the good qualities of Serbia and its people that have not been in the global news for years. He should, as President, be the first to welcome and recognize the independence of Kosovo. He should wish the new country peace, prosperity and success. He should say that he hopes that Serbia and Kosovo can be close and co-operative neighbours. Many Serb citizens would welcome this, and all Kosovars would appreciate it, as they have no desire for negativity. Let there then be a parliamentary election in Serbia and Mr Tadic and allies would win. Mr Kostunica uses negative and threatening language against Kosovo, and this serves to remind the world of the dark place where Serbia was in the 90s.
(Liam C, 12 February 2008 22:44)
Liam... Perhaps if all terrorist organisations around the world created themselves an entity and declared independence we'd all be a better place? Shall we ask all countries in the world to give up a percentage of their land? You do talk nonsense.
(Ratko, 13 February 2008 00:16)
If you were following anything other than media propaganda, you would realize that Boris Tadic has NOT been behind the independence of KosovO.
Moving forward, any negative comments regarding Mr. Kostunica's standing should be directed at the States as they were the ones to "PUT" him in the position he's currently in.
Finally, Serbia is not in a dark place, rather in a forefront & a pattern which will enable the rest of the world to recognize that giving independence to KosovO would be a grave error.
President Tadic of Serbia and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica have first and last obligation towards Serbia and its citizens.
Kosovo and Metohija is a province of Serbia and therefore they have first and last obligation to citizens living there. If there are citizens in Kosovo who want to go down some different path this needs to be discussed with Belgrade, however the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their heritage must be protected by the Government of Serbia and there is no other choice.
All Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their property must be protected by the Serbian Government.
The Serbian diaspora will never ever accept an illegal declaration of independence by Albanian separatists.
It is still not too late for the US and the EU to encourage the separatists to seek dialogue with Belgrade.
The tragedy is the world is watching US and EU support for precedent of, "begining of newly formed separatist states from sovereign countries".
Unbelievable!
(S. Harris, 13 February 2008 03:40)
I love it how Serbia pretends like anyone is asking for its acquiescence in the matter. All the "action-plans", "diplomatic offensives", and "legal actions" in the world, will not stop Kosova from declaring its independence unilaterally, and having that independence unilaterally recognized by 90+ states. No body is concerned with Serbia's or Russia's or Romania's protests. If most of the world recognizes you, a few oddballs here and there will certainly not matter. Albanians will do anything to be free from Serbia forever....this is what Serbia has failed to understand for 100 years.
(Sidi, 13 February 2008 07:03)
Mr Tadic has a once-off opportunity to show the world the good qualities of Serbia and its people that have not been in the global news for years. He should, as President, be the first to welcome and recognize the independence of Kosovo. He should wish the new country peace, prosperity and success. He should say that he hopes that Serbia and Kosovo can be close and co-operative neighbours. Many Serb citizens would welcome this, and all Kosovars would appreciate it, as they have no desire for negativity. Let there then be a parliamentary election in Serbia and Mr Tadic and allies would win. Mr Kostunica uses negative and threatening language against Kosovo, and this serves to remind the world of the dark place where Serbia was in the 90s.
(Liam C, 12 February 2008 22:44)
God love you Liam.
As if Serbia was the cause of all of this.
When those in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo acknowledge their own guilt, there may be be some light shone on the "dark place".
(Tom O'Donoghue, 12 February 2008 23:55)
I love it how Serbia pretends like anyone is asking for its acquiescence in the matter. All the "action-plans", "diplomatic offensives", and "legal actions" in the world, will not stop Kosova from declaring its independence unilaterally, and having that independence unilaterally recognized by 90+ states. No body is concerned with Serbia's or Russia's or Romania's protests. If most of the world recognizes you, a few oddballs here and there will certainly not matter. Albanians will do anything to be free from Serbia forever....this is what Serbia has failed to understand for 100 years.
(Sidi, 13 February 2008 07:03)
President Tadic of Serbia and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica have first and last obligation towards Serbia and its citizens.
Kosovo and Metohija is a province of Serbia and therefore they have first and last obligation to citizens living there. If there are citizens in Kosovo who want to go down some different path this needs to be discussed with Belgrade, however the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their heritage must be protected by the Government of Serbia and there is no other choice.
All Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and their property must be protected by the Serbian Government.
The Serbian diaspora will never ever accept an illegal declaration of independence by Albanian separatists.
It is still not too late for the US and the EU to encourage the separatists to seek dialogue with Belgrade.
The tragedy is the world is watching US and EU support for precedent of, "begining of newly formed separatist states from sovereign countries".
Unbelievable!
(S. Harris, 13 February 2008 03:40)
Liam... Perhaps if all terrorist organisations around the world created themselves an entity and declared independence we'd all be a better place? Shall we ask all countries in the world to give up a percentage of their land? You do talk nonsense.
(Ratko, 13 February 2008 00:16)
If you were following anything other than media propaganda, you would realize that Boris Tadic has NOT been behind the independence of KosovO.
Moving forward, any negative comments regarding Mr. Kostunica's standing should be directed at the States as they were the ones to "PUT" him in the position he's currently in.
Finally, Serbia is not in a dark place, rather in a forefront & a pattern which will enable the rest of the world to recognize that giving independence to KosovO would be a grave error.