Head of team at highest possible political level
Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said in New York on Thursday, after a meeting with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, that as regards the dialogue with Pristina, Belgrade should appoint the head of its negotiating team at the highest possible political level.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Thursday, September 27, 2012
Nikolic said that in the talks, the EU would be represented by Ashton, and that Serbia could be represented by its prime minister, and underlined that he himself would not shirk from that responsibility either.
President Nikolic said that the EU High Representative had informed him that the EU did not insist and would not insist on the recognition of Kosovo's independence, and he replied that would be to no avail anyway.
When asked whether the authorities would fulfill the requirement for the abolition of institutions in northern Kosovo, Nikolic said that would constitute a promotion of Kosovo's independence, and that could not be expected from this government.
We are done with meeting the conditions that, as we have seen, lead towards the independence of Kosovo-Metohija, and we will not take any more step in that direction, and I also said that at the UN General Assembly, Nikolic said.
According to the Serbian president, some other would have to win in Serbia with the idea of recognizing KiM, which he qualified as impossible for many years to come.
I do not think that we should ask for much so that we could get something, but we should put down on paper what we want to achieve, and not give up on that, Nikolic underlined.
Serbia is a serious country, with history and tradition, and it will implement all that has been agreed by the previous government, he said.
Nikolic told reporters that Belgrade's platform would be prepared straight after his return to the Serbian capital.
The NATO remains the only protection for the Serbs in that area, but it is difficult for citizens to live surrounded by armoured vehicles, and with knowledge that someone has practically occupied them, Nikolic said, referring to the security situation in Kosovo.
Nikolic said that he had agreed with Ashton that the peace and security should be safeguarded in northern Kosovo as soon as possible, as well as a much better life for citizens.
The Serbian president underlined that nothing would be done any more at the last minute prior to the EU report.
Nikolic noted that during the talks with Ashton, they had also addressed the issue of Serbia-Russia relations, and that he had informed her that the authorities had asked Moscow for assistance in relation to the budget, as none other had come to Serbia's rescue.
We have agreed that the relations with other states could not be threatened because we want to become an EU member state, Nikolic said.
President Nikolic said that the EU High Representative had informed him that the EU did not insist and would not insist on the recognition of Kosovo's independence, and he replied that would be to no avail anyway.
When asked whether the authorities would fulfill the requirement for the abolition of institutions in northern Kosovo, Nikolic said that would constitute a promotion of Kosovo's independence, and that could not be expected from this government.
We are done with meeting the conditions that, as we have seen, lead towards the independence of Kosovo-Metohija, and we will not take any more step in that direction, and I also said that at the UN General Assembly, Nikolic said.
According to the Serbian president, some other would have to win in Serbia with the idea of recognizing KiM, which he qualified as impossible for many years to come.
I do not think that we should ask for much so that we could get something, but we should put down on paper what we want to achieve, and not give up on that, Nikolic underlined.
Serbia is a serious country, with history and tradition, and it will implement all that has been agreed by the previous government, he said.
Nikolic told reporters that Belgrade's platform would be prepared straight after his return to the Serbian capital.
The NATO remains the only protection for the Serbs in that area, but it is difficult for citizens to live surrounded by armoured vehicles, and with knowledge that someone has practically occupied them, Nikolic said, referring to the security situation in Kosovo.
Nikolic said that he had agreed with Ashton that the peace and security should be safeguarded in northern Kosovo as soon as possible, as well as a much better life for citizens.
The Serbian president underlined that nothing would be done any more at the last minute prior to the EU report.
Nikolic noted that during the talks with Ashton, they had also addressed the issue of Serbia-Russia relations, and that he had informed her that the authorities had asked Moscow for assistance in relation to the budget, as none other had come to Serbia's rescue.
We have agreed that the relations with other states could not be threatened because we want to become an EU member state, Nikolic said.
