Serbia looks to Irish model for Kosovo solution

(SKOPJE) - Serbia is looking at the Northern Ireland peace agreement as a model for a possible solution to a dispute over Kosovo which is threatening to scupper its EU ambitions, President Boris Tadic said Monday.

Under the 1998 Good Friday peace accord, the Dublin government dropped its claim to sovereignty over Northern Ireland, replacing it with an expressed hope to see a united Ireland -- but based on a vote on both sides of the border.

In an interview with Macedonia's Dnevnik daily, Tadic said Belgrade was now looking at striking a similar deal with the government in Pristina which would remove an obstacle to its hopes of becoming a member of the European Union.

"There is the Irish model whereby the Republic of Ireland does not recognise the division of its territorial integrity (with Northern Ireland) and despite that, it is a member of the European Union," Tadic said.

As part of the 1998 deal struck in Belfast, the Irish constitution was amended to state "the firm will of the Irish Nation... to unite all the people who share the territory of the island of Ireland" but only it can be brought about "by peaceful means with the consent of a majority of the people".

Tadic also mentioned other solutions to territorial disputes in Europe, including the carve-up of the Alpine Tirol region, but dismissed ideas of a further partition of Kosovo.

"Serbia has no illusions that it can return Kosovo to the fold like before 2000, but we will not give up on negotiations and calling for a sustainable solution," Tadic said.

Kosovo, a mainly ethnic Albanian territory, effectively broke away from Serbia in 2000 after a lengthy conflict which saw Belgrade's troops eventually routed with the help of a NATO air campaign.

The government in Belgrade however still regards it as an intergral part of Serbian territory and has refused to follow the lead of most of the European Union and recognising Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence.

EU leaders delayed a decision earlier this month on whether to grant Serbia candidacy status until March. Germany especially stressed that Belgrade needs to improve its relations with Kosovo before it can receive candidacy.