The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution on Kosovo phrased in wording that sought to neutralise tensions between Serbia and European Union member states on the issue.
 
The initial version of the resolution tabled by Serbia after the International Court of Justice July 2010 advisory opinion on Kosovo’s independence declaration had caused serious concern by those who saw it as an attempt by Belgrade to use the proposed resolution to re-open talks on the status of Kosovo, the independence of which is rejected by Serbia.
 
The version that was adopted on September 9 2010 was an outcome of talks between Serbian president Boris Tadic and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
 
The EU remains officially "status-neutral" on Kosovo because, while most EU states acknowledge Kosovo as independent, five do not.
 
According to a report from New York by the UN News Service, UN member states welcomed the EU’s willingness to facilitate dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

The resolution adopted by the General Assembly said "the process of dialogue in itself would be a factor for peace, security and stability in the region, and that dialogue would be to promote co-operation, achieve progress on the path to the European Union and improve the lives of the people."

The resolution also acknowledged the ICJ opinion on the February 2008 declaration of independence by Pristina. The court found that the declaration of independence was not out of line with international law.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, concluded in July that the declaration did not violate either general international law, a 1999 Security Council resolution following the end of fighting in Kosovo, or the constitutional framework adopted by the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on behalf of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

The advisory opinion, which is non-binding, was issued in response to an earlier request from the General Assembly.

Introducing the resolution on September 9, Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremić described the text as "fundamentally a status-neutral document".

"The Republic of Serbia does not and shall not recognise the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo," Jeremić said, VOANews said.
 
"My presence, as the Serbian foreign minister, shows the importance of this question to my country," he said, as reported by Serbian news site B92. 

Jeremić said that with the adoption of the resolution, an atmosphere would be created in which a lasting solution would be able to be found through dialogue. 

"Do not doubt that Serbia remains adamant, and that we will not tire because we cannot fail. Great challenges are ahead of us, but are strength is great as well," Jeremić said. 

"We look to the future, convinced that our stance is just," he said. 

British ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant said that he believed that Serbia had taken an important step forward in its relationship with Kosovo.
 
"I think it is important and significant that Serbia did withdraw the original resolution that it put on the table and co-sponsored along with European Union member states a consensus resolution. And I think that marks a very significant step and a very welcome step. And as I say, it is now the start of a new phase in the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia," he said.

The September 9 General Assembly session was not without drama. It got underway two and a half hours late, because Serbia objected to the presence of Kosovo's president, prime minister and foreign minister in the public gallery of the General Assembly Hall. 

Ultimately, they were allowed to remain as guests of the British, French, German, Italian and US delegations.

Earlier, returning from his meeting at the European Commission headquarters, Serbian president Boris Tadic – as reported by news agency Beta – said that the joint EU-Serbian resolution on Kosovo would "facilitate dialogue aimed at resolving the Kosovo issue, the results of which would be confirmed by the U.N. Security Council".

According to Tadic, the joint resolution was the result of combined effort and a consensus of positions of different countries - those that had recognised Kosovo's independence, those that have not and Serbia, which is defending its legitimate national interests in a peaceful and diplomatic manner.

"The common denominator that has been achieved is the fruit of compromise, which means that after the ruling of the International Court of Justice a formula has been found that opens a dialogue on future solutions, that cites the UN Charter and does not contain the recognition of Kosovo's independence in any way," Tadic's written statement said, according to Beta.

He said that the harmonised text was reached with "an honest desire to resolve all issue in partnership with the EU and all other important international factors, convinced that it is the only way to truly find a solution".