"Better prospects for agreement in September"

EU's Kosovo talks mediator Robert Cooper on Tuesday said Brussels regretted the postponement of the next round of negotiations scheduled for July 20. Beta news agency reports that Cooper said that both Belgrade and Pristina were "very close to agreeing on a number of questions and that holding a meeting meant something only if there was a chance for agreement". "Better prospects for agreement in September" "It is clear that this is not going to happen tomorrow (July 20), so we have decided that it is better to not hold the meeting, and start again in September, when I hope the chances for a quick agreement on a number of questions will be better," Cooper said. "Both sides need to think a little more, but we will meet again in September and review questions that we are now close to settling. I hope that we will be even closer then and that we will achieve quick progress, because this is essential to us," Cooper said. European diplomatic sources in Brussels told Beta that Serbia had "serious objections to preparations for the next round of negotiations and that, ultimately, the July 20 meeting was postponed by Cooper because of the Serbian side's stance". Meanwhile the Serbian government sources said attempts of the Kosovo Albanian side to include "state symbols" of Kosovo caused the disagreement. Government Media Office chief Milivoje Mihajlovic said that Cooper mad the right move by postponing the talks previously scheduled for today. He explained that Belgrade objected to the idea to have symbols of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo on customs seals. Mihajlovic added that while the Serbian government strongly supports the dialogue with Pristina, it "does not wish to allow for a promotion of the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo to be taking place under the guise of dialogue". Ethnic Albanians in the province unilaterally declared independence in early 2008, but Belgrade rejected the proclamation. The ongoing, EU-sponsored dialogue represents the first direct talks between the two sides since. Belgrade and Pristina team leaders Borislav Stefanovic and Edita Tahiri (Tanjug, file)

"Better prospects for agreement in September"

"It is clear that this is not going to happen tomorrow (July 20), so we have decided that it is better to not hold the meeting, and start again in September, when I hope the chances for a quick agreement on a number of questions will be better," Cooper said.

"Both sides need to think a little more, but we will meet again in September and review questions that we are now close to settling. I hope that we will be even closer then and that we will achieve quick progress, because this is essential to us," Cooper said.

European diplomatic sources in Brussels told Beta that Serbia had "serious objections to preparations for the next round of negotiations and that, ultimately, the July 20 meeting was postponed by Cooper because of the Serbian side's stance".

Meanwhile the Serbian government sources said attempts of the Kosovo Albanian side to include "state symbols" of Kosovo caused the disagreement.

Government Media Office chief Milivoje Mihajlović said that Cooper mad the right move by postponing the talks previously scheduled for today.

He explained that Belgrade objected to the idea to have symbols of the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo on customs seals.

Mihajlović added that while the Serbian government strongly supports the dialogue with Priština, it "does not wish to allow for a promotion of the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo to be taking place under the guise of dialogue".

Ethnic Albanians in the province unilaterally declared independence in early 2008, but Belgrade rejected the proclamation.

The ongoing, EU-sponsored dialogue represents the first direct talks between the two sides since.