Daily: U.S., EU want state-backed Kosovo platform

Belgrade and Pristina are expected to agree in principle on transparency of financing of institutions in northern Kosovo at the next meeting, daily writes.

(KosovoCompromiseStuff) Wednesday, October 31, 2012

"Models are not known for now," writes the daily, commenting on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton's visit to Belgrade.

Clinton and Ashton met with top Serbian officials in Belgrade on Tuesday.

Blic has learnt that the U.S. supported Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci by securing a parliamentary majority and that it therefore expects him to come up with an "inventive solution for northern Kosovo".

"Progress in the integrated crossings management is also expected," the daily writes.

According to the daily, the topic of the negotiations will be Kosovo's participation in international meetings.

It is also possible that it will be proposed that liaison offices be opened in Belgrade and Pristina.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic is expected to support the talks.

"The EU and the U.S. insist on determining of a platform that will be backed by top state officials. It is also expected that Serbian parliament will adopt the document by the end of the year," writes the press .

Daily Danas writes that a top U.S. Department of State official expressed satisfaction "over the fact that the Serbian government made it clear that it intends to continue toward the EU membership and implement all agreements reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue so far".

"They have made it clear that they want to improve relations with the U.S. The fact that President Nikolic is committed to the continuation of Serbia's European integration and that he wants to develop relations with the U.S. is encouraging," the State Department official was quoted as saying by the daily.

Danas also writes that the State Department sees Dacic's recent meeting with Thaci as a "significant step forward".