Vucic: I am not optimistic about thwarting resolution but we continue to fight

NEW YORK - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday in New York he had had discussions with representatives of Asian-Pacific UN member states earlier in the day to explain the reasons for Serbia's opposition to a UN General Assembly draft resolution on Srebrenica and that many of the countries had understood the reasons and said positions on the matter should be harmonised.

Speaking to reporters, Vucic said that, however, any postponement was not up to Belgrade.

"We will keep fighting, there are results but it is hard - we are small compared to the biggest powers, but you cannot defeat the truth with power, and that means something to us," Vucic said.

He said he was not optimistic about preventing the adoption of a Srebrenica resolution but noted that would not stop him from fighting.

"I must tell you that there are huge reservations in all groups about the procedure and, even if they are to vote in favour (of a draft resolution), many of our friends from Islamic countries are not glad about that because it is clear to them they are hurting a friend," Vucic said.

"We see that the pressure on small countries is more noticeable and stronger. We are small and it is not easy for us to oppose that. We have done a great job in the UN. We had a meeting with the representative of Brazil, and we will now meet with (UN Secretary General Antonio) Guterres and the UN special adviser on genocide, and with five or six more European countries we can at least ask not to be against us," Vucic said.