Cyprus reiterated that it does not recognize or support in any way the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo Serbian Foreign Minister Jeremic said in a joint press conference held together with his Cypriot counterpart Markos Kyprianou in Belgrade.

Kyprianou also said that Cyprus believes that no European stand may be created on the Kosovo issue, but that every individual country should decide on the issue.

Minister Kyprianou also underscored that his country believes that deployment of EULEX has to respect Serbia’s territorial integrity and it should be in keeping with Resolution 1244.

The EU is working on deploying the mission soon and that is an issue that Serbia and the EU will have to discuss in the coming period, said Kyprianou.

Serbian President Tadic reiterated yesterday that EU presence in Kosovo must have UN resolution backing.

Before visiting Belgrade, Kyprianou said in Brussels that EU members opposing Kosovo’s independence are having difficulties and that he will discuss this with Serbian officials.

There are real difficulties that should be discussed, as 20 EU member states have already recognized Kosovo and more might do so soon, and as the EC is working on the basis of presumption of Kosovo’s independence, he said. This is a problem for Cyprus and the other countries which do not intend to recognize Kosovo’s independence, he said.