JOVANOVIĆ: TURKEY'S DELIVERYING DRONES TO PRIŠTINA OPEN THREAT TO SERBIA AND SERBS

BELGRADE, OCTOBER 9 /SRNA/ – Former Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Vladislav Jovanović told SRNA that by delivering 1,000 kamikaze drones to Priština, Turkey has proven it cannot be trusted, as what it did is more than a provocation, it is an open threat to Serbia and the Serb people.

Jovanović believes that Serbia must now publicly label Turkey as a country with hidden ambitions, which it is increasingly pursuing hostile actions in order to achieve them. "This proves that Turkey values its ambitions and interests more than its word. That's why we must keep in mind that even when relations with Turkey appear to be improving, they can easily shift course, because it country always has a backup plan, which it does not openly show," Jovanović emphasized. He pointed out that Turkey recognised unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence, which is contrary to the UN Charter, and has begun to demonstrate ambitions to expand its influence in the Balkans, in line with the neo-Ottoman concept once promoted by former Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. "/Turkish President Recep Tayyip/ Erdogan temporarily distanced himself from that idea, but now he is returning to it. This is the path Turkey has always dreamed of since losing the Ottoman Empire," said Jovanović. According to him, Turkey has taken an ambitious stance toward the Balkans, and what it did by recognising the so-called Kosovo is something Ankara would never allow the Kurds, 15 and 20 million of them in Turkey. "Moreover, the Kurds are a people, not a minority like Kosovo Albanians. The Kurds have no national state outside Turkey, even though they had one historically," Jovanović added. Commenting on the possibility that Turkey might increase its involvement in BiH in a similar manner to what it has done in Kosovo, Jovanović said anything is possible, as Turkey wants to regain at least part of the influence it once had during the Ottoman Empire, if not all of it. "Still, I don't believe they will go so far as to take such an ambitious stance towards Bosnia, because they don’t have the strength for broader operations that reach beyond Turkey’s borders, where they are already quite active," he said. According to his assessment, Turkey will continue to closely monitor developments in BiH, and could become more overt and aggressive if its goals align with those of the West. He pointed out that Turkey is currently expanding its influence along its borders, and is active in the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, as well as in Central Asia and the Caucasus, areas where it previously had little or no presence. "They maintain good relations with Russia, but they are arming Ukraine, which contradicts their statements about friendship with Russia. Turkey is highly ambitious and is now trying to project that ambition on the ground, just as it did in Syria, where it effectively occupied part of the territory and participated in overthrowing the regime of Bashar al-Assad," Jovanović said. The acting Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo Albin Kurti announced yesterday that Turkey had delivered 1,000 kamikaze drones to Priština, arriving three months earlier than scheduled under the contract with Turkish company Baykar. President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić said he was appalled by the blatant violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and stated it is now clear that Turkey does not want stability in the Western Balkans, but instead dreams of reviving the Ottoman Empire.