BELGRADE, May 13. /TASS/. The settlement of the issue of Kosovo and Metohija would have been much more successful if Serbs and Albanians had been doing this without any interference from outside, Marco Djuric, head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and Deputy of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucuc in the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, said in an interview with TASS.

"Any solution (for Kosovo and Metohija - TASS), which is not long-term and sustainable would lead to a new conflict in the near or distant future. Therefore, for all those who do not want new conflicts, a long-term and sustainable solution is the goal and has no alternative, President Vucic has long insisted that only two of our peoples can come up with the best solution for reconciliation and resolve the differences between the Serbian and Albanian peoples, and I sincerely hope that we will move towards such a solution. I see the importance for the future progress of both Serbia and its associates in the fact that President Vucic has brought up to date the wide regional cooperation and the maxim "Balkans to the Balkan peoples." Either everyone will be satisfied with the decision on the Balkans, or rather, equally dissatisfied, or there will be no decision at all," Djuric said.

"Opponents of resolving the issue of Kosovo and Metohija are those who want to have a zone of long-term instability and a frozen conflict in the Balkans, which can be unfrozen depending on individual geopolitical interests. Anyone who sincerely wants stabilization and prosperity of society in the Balkans must accept the fact that deep historical and interethnic problems in this region need to be solved by atypical methods, which implies that all decisions should be on the negotiating table. I’m sure that if the European forces that supported NATO’s aggression and the creation of a false Kosovo state in our southern autonomous region, accepted the will of the Balkan peoples and provided them [the opportunity] to solve problems independently, the solution would be closer than it is today. Today, the solution is very far away," the politician states.

According to Djuric, Serbia’s biggest advancements on the Kosovo issue is a wave of withdrawals of recognition of Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence and relevant appeals to international organizations. "Russia provided key support to Serbia in this matter, and our gratitude for this is immeasurable," the head of the office said.

Kosovo’s independence

Serbia’s autonomous province of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in February 2008. In 2010, its independence was recognized by the International Court of Justice (CIJ). Kosovo claims to have been recognized by 117 countries so far, while Serbia says Kosovo enjoys the support of 105 nations. More than 60 countries, including Russia, China, India, Israel, Greece and Spain, oppose Kosovo’s independence.

Earlier Belgrade and Pristina discussed a compromise solution, which concerned the adjustment of borders and exchange of territories. The US supported this ideas insisting on the final agreement, which would imply the adjustment of borders of Serbia and the unrecognized republic. However Angela Merkel spoke against the change of borders on the Balkans, stressing that all countries of the region have the prospect to enter the European community in any case.