Kosovo Ministry official believes barricades will be removed

Kosovo Ministry State Secretary Oliver Ivanovic says "it was clear even before their meeting with the Serbian president that Serbs would remove the barricades". This is because they do not intend to enter a conflict with their country, Ivanovic told B92 in Belgrade on Monday. Kosovo Ministry official believes barricades will be removed Bearing this in mind, he continued, it was "logical that they would harmonize their position on all important issues with top state officials". "This conversation was important in order not to send messages to one another via middlemen. Now, after their conversation with the president, they have a clear picture of what Serbia is doing at this moment, what it plans to do, what it can or possibly cannot do," said he. That the northern Kosovo Serbs decided to travel to Belgrade and meet with Boris Tadic "does not mean they do no trust others", asserted Ivanovic, and added that "this was customary until now as well, but it was neglected during a period of time". "I think this is in principle good practice. The north of Kosovo is important for Serbia, just like the whole of Kosovo and Metohija. For Serbs north of the Ibar it is also important for the north to remain as it is, while for Serbs south of the Ibar it is important for the north to be maintained the way it is," continued Ivanovic. Asked whether the current agreement with KFOR would be extended past September 15, and about the chances for the administrative line checkpoints to return to the situation prior to July 25, he said that "would be good", because Kosovo Albanian PM Hashim Thaci tried to use violence to change the situation on the ground. "It seems that the only use that cold be made out of it would be to treat is as encouragement to him and everyone else to reach for violence whenever they have no solutions, and cannot find one in the political arena. Therefore, it is in the interest of all, Thaci included as well, to return the situation to what it was before July 25, and show in that way that there is no alternative to dialogue. Pristina (Kosovo Albanians) have a mouthful of 'dialogue has no alterative', but they use force whenever they have an opportunity," said Ivanovic. This official also spoke for Tanjug on Monday to say that he believed that the roadblocks made by Serbs in north Kosovo will be removed after the Tuesday session of representatives of four north Kosovo municipalities. “I expect that the municipal presidents will think carefully about everything, present all possible options to the members of the assemblies, and make the right decision,” Ivanovic said. "It is vital that the head of municipalities have harmonized their views with Serbian President Boris Tadic and top state officials," he said, adding that this is important because the people in Kosovo-Metohija have learned not to have much trust in international organizations. “It appears that they have returned from Belgrade much more satisfied than they were when they left (northern Kosovo),” Ivanovic said. Oliver Ivanovic (Beta, file)

Kosovo Ministry official believes barricades will be removed

Bearing this in mind, he continued, it was "logical that they would harmonize their position on all important issues with top state officials".

"This conversation was important in order not to send messages to one another via middlemen. Now, after their conversation with the president, they have a clear picture of what Serbia is doing at this moment, what it plans to do, what it can or possibly cannot do," said he.

That the northern Kosovo Serbs decided to travel to Belgrade and meet with Boris Tadić "does not mean they do no trust others", asserted Ivanović, and added that "this was customary until now as well, but it was neglected during a period of time".

"I think this is in principle good practice. The north of Kosovo is important for Serbia, just like the whole of Kosovo and Metohija. For Serbs north of the Ibar it is also important for the north to remain as it is, while for Serbs south of the Ibar it is important for the north to be maintained the way it is," continued Ivanović.

Asked whether the current agreement with KFOR would be extended past September 15, and about the chances for the administrative line checkpoints to return to the situation prior to July 25, he said that "would be good", because Kosovo Albanian PM Hashim Thaci tried to use violence to change the situation on the ground.

"It seems that the only use that cold be made out of it would be to treat is as encouragement to him and everyone else to reach for violence whenever they have no solutions, and cannot find one in the political arena. Therefore, it is in the interest of all, Thaci included as well, to return the situation to what it was before July 25, and show in that way that there is no alternative to dialogue. Priština (Kosovo Albanians) have a mouthful of 'dialogue has no alterative', but they use force whenever they have an opportunity," said Ivanović.

This official also spoke for Tanjug on Monday to say that he believed that the roadblocks made by Serbs in north Kosovo will be removed after the Tuesday session of representatives of four north Kosovo municipalities.

“I expect that the municipal presidents will think carefully about everything, present all possible options to the members of the assemblies, and make the right decision,” Ivanović said.

"It is vital that the head of municipalities have harmonized their views with Serbian President Boris Tadić and top state officials," he said, adding that this is important because the people in Kosovo-Metohija have learned not to have much trust in international organizations.

“It appears that they have returned from Belgrade much more satisfied than they were when they left (northern Kosovo),” Ivanović said.