Petkovic: Term "enforced disappearances" not included in declaration, we foiled Pristina's plan

Photo: Telegraf.rs

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, pointed out that in the text of the declaration on missing persons, which was agreed in Brussels on Tuesday, thanks to the efforts of Belgrade the term "enforced disappearances" was rejected, which is a legal category defined by an international convention and which would imply direct legal responsibility of the state of Serbia for all cases of disappearances during the conflict in Kosovo and Metohija.

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Petar Petkovic said in a statement that Belgrade did not allow that in this declaration, as well as that Pristina's plan has been thwarted.

The head of Belgrade's negotiating team said yesterday, after the meeting with Besnik Bislimi and Miroslav Lajcak, that for the first time in the last few years, within the framework of trilateral talks the most concrete steps for the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) were discussed, as well as that the text of the declaration on the missing was agreed upon.

"Instead of that term, the term 'forcefully disappeared' was adopted, which is not a legal category and is not found in any international convention, but exclusively describes the circumstances under which the disappearance occurred and therefore cannot produce any legal effect regarding the interests of the state of Serbia, nor imply its responsibility," explained Petkovic.

He stated that because of this, it is quite clear that Pristina and Andin Hoti are deceiving the public with incorrect interpretations that the term "enforced disappearances" has been accepted and that they will be able to demand the responsibility of the state, because this is absolutely not true and he knows it.

"Apart from the obvious politicization of this highly humane topic, the dissatisfaction of Pristina, which failed in its plan to accuse Serbia of all cases of disappearances in Kosovo and Metohija and attribute the crimes of the so-called KLA to Belgrade is understandable, and that was their intention from the beginning, which we saw through and thwarted," stated Petkovic.

He stressed that the Serbian side managed to protect Serbia's interests in Brussels when it comes to the issue of missing persons, but that from the very beginning of this process it showed readiness to solve this important issue, deeply convinced that the families of all innocent victims deserve to have peace of mind without any politicization.

"Unfortunately, Pristina continues to politicize this topic and use it for daily political calculations and its own internal political situation, but we will be guided exclusively by facts and arguments, as before," concluded Petkovic - the Office announced.

(Telegraf.rs)