Serbia's foreign minister says his country will not follow Russia's example in recognizing the breakaway Georgian territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Vuk Jeremic told a Vienna newspaper Die Presse Wednesday that recognizing such independence would not be in line with Serbian policy.
Jeremic reaffirmed Serbian gratitude for Moscow's opposition to independence for Kosovo, the breakaway Serbian province that declared independence earlier this year. But he emphasized that Serbia is "not a part of a Russian policy" and must act in accordance with its own best interests.
Serbia insists that the declaration of independence adopted by Kosovo's Albanian leaders in February is illegal.
The United States and 46 other countries have recognized Kosovo independence. Serbia, backed by veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member Russia, insists on maintaining sovereignty over the area.
On Tuesday, Serbia's president asked the United Nations' main judicial unit, the International Court of Justice, to weigh in on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence.
President Boris Tadic, addressing the U.N. General Assembly, also said the move may create precedents for other breakaway regions.
Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.
