Chirac Says EU Not to Recognize Montenegro's Independence

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 09, 2001

Chirac Says EU Not to Recognize Montenegro's Independence

The European Union (EU) will not acknowledge Montenegro's independence if the republic chooses to separate from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, French President Jacques Chirac said Saturday in Belgrade.

The EU "hates" to see Montenegro cut its relations with Yugoslavia, Chirac said at a press conference at the end of his two-day visit to Yugoslavia.

He stressed that both France and the EU wish a democratic Montenegro live in a democratic Yugoslavia, adding that Montenegro and Yugoslavia's larger republic, Serbia, should determine their future relations through negotiations.

After meeting with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and Prime Minister Dragisa Pesic Friday, Chirac said France regards Montenegro and Serbia as equals and hopes the two republics would hold talks under the framework of a united Yugoslavia.

Chirac said he will try to persuade Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic to give up the call for a referendum on independence.

Chirac also met with Djukanovic and Serbia's prime minister Zoran Djindjic on Friday.

Djukanovic and Djindjic met in late October for talks on the ties between the two republics, which ended without any progress due to their vast differences on the key issue of independence.

Soon after the talks broke, Djukanovic and other Montenegrin leaders called a referendum for next spring on the future of the Yugoslav republic.

Yugoslavia's 1992 constitution provides that Montenegro and Serbia make up the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia was first formed in 1918 as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. At that time, Montenegro gave up its statehood to join the new country. Yugoslavia's disintegration started in 1991 in a series of civil wars that saw Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia split from the old federation.