Discussion on Kosovo platform next week
Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic announced Saturday that the discussion on the platform for Kosovo will continue next week, and added that talks with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and representatives of interim institutions in Pristina will take place in November.
(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Sunday, October 28, 2012
He also stated that the meeting of state leaders on the platform for the first time tabled a discussion about the real situation in the country, since Serbia has to know what it wants, and not only what it does not want.
"We cannot start the talks if the first line of defense is at the same time the last," Dacic told the press at the celebration of patron saint's day of the Serbian Progressive Party.
He also said that the platform should comprise a description of Serbia's current position, proposal of the solution for the final status of Kosovo, but also the stance on the forthcoming dialogue which is not related to the province's status.
"I have refused a secret meeting with (Kosovo Prime Minister) Hasim Taci and Catherine Ashton," said Dacic, who met with them in Brussels on October 19, where they agreed to continue talks under EU mediation.
The prime minister stated that Hillary Clinton and Catherine Ashton will be acquainted with the platform only after talks between Belgrade and Pristina are held, and stressed that "all talks should be followed by concrete, positive results when it comes to EU integration."
Speaking about the request for normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, Dacic said that visible progress should be made, but also pointed out that this "in no way implies a change in Serbia's stance on the recognition of Kosovo's independence." The prime minister once again stressed that Serbia will not give up on its position not to recognize the independence of Kosovo, adding that the talks that will be conducted should be status neutral.
"We cannot start the talks if the first line of defense is at the same time the last," Dacic told the press at the celebration of patron saint's day of the Serbian Progressive Party.
He also said that the platform should comprise a description of Serbia's current position, proposal of the solution for the final status of Kosovo, but also the stance on the forthcoming dialogue which is not related to the province's status.
"I have refused a secret meeting with (Kosovo Prime Minister) Hasim Taci and Catherine Ashton," said Dacic, who met with them in Brussels on October 19, where they agreed to continue talks under EU mediation.
The prime minister stated that Hillary Clinton and Catherine Ashton will be acquainted with the platform only after talks between Belgrade and Pristina are held, and stressed that "all talks should be followed by concrete, positive results when it comes to EU integration."
Speaking about the request for normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, Dacic said that visible progress should be made, but also pointed out that this "in no way implies a change in Serbia's stance on the recognition of Kosovo's independence." The prime minister once again stressed that Serbia will not give up on its position not to recognize the independence of Kosovo, adding that the talks that will be conducted should be status neutral.
