Top officials and Serbs confirm state's unity
The state's unity has been confirmed at a meeting between top officials and representatives of north Kosovo Serbs in carrying out the policy on Kosovo, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said on Thursday evening, announcing that a state platform will be completed this month.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Friday, December 07, 2012
There is no reason for blocking the administrative crossings, and north Kosovo Serbs will deliver a decision as to whether they will stop the protest, Dacic told reporters after the meeting with political representatives of north Kosovo Serbs at the presidency building.
"We must be strong in order to defend Kosovo, we cannot defend it by military means, but only political ones, so we must be united," he said after the meeting which also brought together President Tomislav Nikolic, Deputy Prime Ministers Jovan Krkobabic, Suzana Grubjesic and Rasim Ljajic, Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic, head of the Office for Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin and head of Belgrade's technical team Dejan Pavicevic.
The prime minister underlined that in the dialogue with Pristina, everything is done to protect the interests of Serbia and Serbs in Kosovo, and that he, as a negotiator, presented their demands.
"Four crossings will be opened by the year's end. These crossings will be status-neutral, and we consider this entire agreement to be status-neutral. We do not interpret or accept them as any kind of border crossings or a border line, but only as interim facilities which have the status of administrative crossings," Dacic explained.
He underscored that at his insistence, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci agreed that the customs and other duties should not be collected at the crossings in northern Kosovo, and that problems should not be created for Serbs who use Serbian personal documents and license plates.
"That regime will be in force until an agreement is reached on these open issues, and the talks about that will continue after the holidays," Dacic said, adding that means that, in essence, the regime at the crossings will not be changed in comparison to the existing one.
"If any violation of that agreement occurs, the Serbian government will suspend its further implementation," Dacic said.
He said that all participants in the dialogue should have understanding for the justified fear of Serbs in Kosovo, in the same way as there has to be a responsibility towards the things that Serbia has to do in the EU integration process.
"We must be strong in order to defend Kosovo, we cannot defend it by military means, but only political ones, so we must be united," he said after the meeting which also brought together President Tomislav Nikolic, Deputy Prime Ministers Jovan Krkobabic, Suzana Grubjesic and Rasim Ljajic, Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic, head of the Office for Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin and head of Belgrade's technical team Dejan Pavicevic.
The prime minister underlined that in the dialogue with Pristina, everything is done to protect the interests of Serbia and Serbs in Kosovo, and that he, as a negotiator, presented their demands.
"Four crossings will be opened by the year's end. These crossings will be status-neutral, and we consider this entire agreement to be status-neutral. We do not interpret or accept them as any kind of border crossings or a border line, but only as interim facilities which have the status of administrative crossings," Dacic explained.
He underscored that at his insistence, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci agreed that the customs and other duties should not be collected at the crossings in northern Kosovo, and that problems should not be created for Serbs who use Serbian personal documents and license plates.
"That regime will be in force until an agreement is reached on these open issues, and the talks about that will continue after the holidays," Dacic said, adding that means that, in essence, the regime at the crossings will not be changed in comparison to the existing one.
"If any violation of that agreement occurs, the Serbian government will suspend its further implementation," Dacic said.
He said that all participants in the dialogue should have understanding for the justified fear of Serbs in Kosovo, in the same way as there has to be a responsibility towards the things that Serbia has to do in the EU integration process.
