Ex-deputy PM: Serbs should trust Belgrade's negotiators

Former Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic has told Kosovo Serbs they should have trust in Belgrade's negotiators. Covic claims that the mastermind of the incident that caused the crisis is U.S. Ambassador in Pristina Christopher Dell. Ex-deputy PM: Serbs should trust Belgrade's negotiators He told Tanjug that the current situation in Kosovo was a very complex one, which left representatives of the Serb minority little options, particularly because the Serbs had had bad experiences with promises coming from the international community. The former deputy PM pointed out that the major problem Kosovo Serbs had was "with the international community, which has failed to fulfill its promises on many occasions, just like this time.” He said it was absolutely impossible that no international community representative had been aware of the action conducted by Kosovo's special police units ROSU. Covic explained that the mastermind behind the current situation was Dell, who, instead of guaranteeing security in the region, actually threatened it. He said that Dell was in daily contact with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, advising the Kosovo official all the time, adding that the U.S. ambassador was undoubtedly the one behind the last provocation. Commenting on the interim agreement between the Serbian government and KFOR, the former deputy PM said he did not believe much in oral agreements, but added there was sometimes no other way. He said that KFOR would now treat the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings as special military zones which could mean restrictions for trucks, checks of persons and equipment and even a special regime for the Belgrade - Kosovska Mitrovica train. “Everything will be put under the control of KFOR and EULEX and KFOR will thus get a broad jurisdiction that might be put it in the function of interest of only one side at some point in the future. If the international community takes Thaci's side in such a way it can only exacerbate the situation again,” he added. Covic said that whatever might happen, representatives of the Kosovo Serbs should have confidence in the negotiators sent by the Serbian government. “If they do not believe Belgrade, I do not know who else they could believe,” the former deputy prime minister concluded. Nebojsa Covic

Ex-deputy PM: Serbs should trust Belgrade's negotiators

He told Tanjug that the current situation in Kosovo was a very complex one, which left representatives of the Serb minority little options, particularly because the Serbs had had bad experiences with promises coming from the international community.

The former deputy PM pointed out that the major problem Kosovo Serbs had was "with the international community, which has failed to fulfill its promises on many occasions, just like this time.”

He said it was absolutely impossible that no international community representative had been aware of the action conducted by Kosovo's special police units ROSU.

Čović explained that the mastermind behind the current situation was Dell, who, instead of guaranteeing security in the region, actually threatened it.

He said that Dell was in daily contact with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, advising the Kosovo official all the time, adding that the U.S. ambassador was undoubtedly the one behind the last provocation.

Commenting on the interim agreement between the Serbian government and KFOR, the former deputy PM said he did not believe much in oral agreements, but added there was sometimes no other way.

He said that KFOR would now treat the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings as special military zones which could mean restrictions for trucks, checks of persons and equipment and even a special regime for the Belgrade - Kosovska Mitrovica train.

“Everything will be put under the control of KFOR and EULEX and KFOR will thus get a broad jurisdiction that might be put it in the function of interest of only one side at some point in the future. If the international community takes Thaci's side in such a way it can only exacerbate the situation again,” he added.

Čović said that whatever might happen, representatives of the Kosovo Serbs should have confidence in the negotiators sent by the Serbian government.

“If they do not believe Belgrade, I do not know who else they could believe,” the former deputy prime minister concluded.