Foreign Minister Vlahovic (file photo)
Washington, 18 October 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The foreign minister of Montenegro has rejected the idea of Serbia being compensated for lost land in the event of independence for both Montenegro and the province of Kosovo.
Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahovic said that Serbia should not be compensated because Montenegro is not a part of Serbia, despite the current political link.
Speaking at a Washington policy institute, Vlahovic expressed concern about the impact on Belgrade of the unsettled question of Montenegro's independence.
"As long as the Kosovo issue and the Montenegrin one are being kept as the topics of the internal political agenda in Serbia, the possibility, the chances, the advantages for the non-democratic forces to play a significant role in Serbia will be bigger than we all want to see them," Vlahovic said. "So, the sooner we take off, and let me now speak to Montenegro, the sooner we take off the Montenegrin issue from the internal political agenda in Serbia, it is better for Serbia."
He said that Montenegro's independence referendum will be held in April 2006 despite calls by the European Union for it to be delayed.
See also:
Montenegrin Foreign Minister Makes The Case For Independence
Speaking at a Washington policy institute, Vlahovic expressed concern about the impact on Belgrade of the unsettled question of Montenegro's independence.
"As long as the Kosovo issue and the Montenegrin one are being kept as the topics of the internal political agenda in Serbia, the possibility, the chances, the advantages for the non-democratic forces to play a significant role in Serbia will be bigger than we all want to see them," Vlahovic said. "So, the sooner we take off, and let me now speak to Montenegro, the sooner we take off the Montenegrin issue from the internal political agenda in Serbia, it is better for Serbia."
He said that Montenegro's independence referendum will be held in April 2006 despite calls by the European Union for it to be delayed.
See also:
Montenegrin Foreign Minister Makes The Case For Independence