Press cautious about progress to be expected in New York
The world press was cautious about possible progress at the first round of direct talks between Belgrade and Pristina on September 28 in New York after the two sides reportedly remained on the same positions as before the two-day London meetings this week.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, September 21, 2007
The media, however, reported on statements by EU and Russian mediators suggesting a compromise was still possible down the road and that they were looking for "fresh ideas" from the two sides.
Reuters, DPA and AFP all reported that the London meeting showed no or little hint of compromise between the two delegations.
Trend News Agency from Azerbaijan said the "word ‘independence' was shunned in troika talks". "In the course of discussions, the mediators tended to avoid the word ‘independence'," the agency reported.
The Financial Times said there was no discussion at the meetings of comments made to The Independent this week by Wolfgang Ischinger, the EU envoy, who suggested it was unhelpful to talk about independence.
The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) said Kosovo "drifts towards partition" after London talks. As EU officials refuse to rule out Kosovo's partition, analysts suggest such an arrangement could help resolve the disputed entity's status, BIRN reported.
