Solution to north Kosovo crisis "in sight"

KFOR's announcement that KFOR will keep control over Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings until mid-September also proves that the agreement is in sight.

The agreement is envisaged by a draft put together by Belgrade team head Borislav Stefanovic, Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic and KFOR Commander Erhard Buhler.

It has been agreed to let 3.5-ton trucks and vehicles carrying humanitarian aid, including food, through after identity check and search for weapons.

According to the agreement, roadblocks will be removed and freedom of movement will be restored.

Serbs in north Kosovo spent a quiet night behind roadblocks, while a meeting between representatives of the Serbian government and municipal presidents is expected to take place in Zvecan on Thursday on the occasion of the principled agreement reached with KFOR.

Stefanovic and Bogdanovic announced a meeting with municipal presidents in the northern Kosovo at which they will adjust the details of the draft agreement.

After that, the municipal presidents will meet to decide whether they will support this agreement and call on the citizens to retreat from the barricades.

Stefanovic and Bogdanovic are expected to address the citizens at roadblocks and inform them on the details of their meeting with Buhler.

The KFOR members are letting through passenger traffic at the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings after short control making no halt.

Following the urge by Bogdanovic and Stefanovic, the Serbs at roadblocks let through the first KFOR convoy from the north to the south on Wednesday evening.

A convoy of about 20 vehicles was let through a little before 23:00 CET from Leposavić to southern Kosovska Mitrovica passing near a barricade in the village of Rudare near Zvecan and the citizens did not block or interfere with safe crossing of the convoy.