Should Kosovo be welcomed as a member country to the United Nations and other international institutions, the Government of Republika Srpska (RS), Bosnia’s Serb-dominated part, will ask for the same, RS President Milorad Dodik told Serbia’s Vecernje Novosti newspaper on Friday.

After Kosovo Albanians had unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008, the parliament of RS semi-autonomous entity had adopted a resolution stating that should new international principles and practices in recognition of the right of self-determination be implemented in the international community, the RS will seek official statehood status, Dodik said.

“This document is still valid and we will not give up on it,” he said, adding that the discussion on Kosovo’s status should not be separated from the discussion on the status of the RS.  

He also said a division of Kosovo should be discussed as a viable option.  

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and today, more than 100 UN member countries officially recognise it as an independent state.

Kosovo’s political representatives are currently engaging in EU-facilitated negotiations with Serbia on ‘normalising the relationship’ between them.  

Since a Serbian minority dominates certain parts in northern Kosovo, Serbia is pushing for the establishment of a union of Serb municipalities, which would have a certain degree of autonomy.  

A similar setup exists in Bosnia, as the Dayton Peace Treaty of 1995, which ended the war in the country, resulted in the establishment of two semi-autonomous entities, one dominated by Serbs, and the other shared by Bosniaks and Croats.  

Dodik and his Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) have been advocating for the RS to secede from Bosnia for years.

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