New “demarcation lines in Kosovo” necessary

Serbian IM Ivica Dacic says it is necessary to determine new demarcation lines in Kosovo in order to peacefully solve the dispute between Belgrade and Pristina. “New demarcation is necessary because it would simply in some way recognize Serbian national interests in Kosovo. We have a situation today that we could lose everything,” he told daily Politika. New “demarcation lines in Kosovo” necessary The interior minister stressed that he had not discussed his idea in detail with President Boris Tadic and other members of the ruling coalition and that he did not know whether they were against it or not but added that this could be a realistic solutions “if we stand behind it”. “Otherwise, it will be realistic that we don’t get anything. I don’t know if the people understand that if we don’t stand behind this thing I am talking about, that the only thing we can get next is that four municipalities in northern Kosovo have some sort of autonomy within Kosovo,” Dacic was quoted as saying. When asked whether it was realistic to expect that KFOR would remove the barricades by force, he said that it was Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s tactics to cause conflicts between Serbs and KFOR. “But Serbs should not clash with those they cannot defeat. We should simply be careful not to get into conflicts with KFOR and EULEX units,” the interior minister pointed out. He explained that Serbs and Albanians were “arguing” only over the territory and that “carpet should be pulled from under their feet” and that the reason for the conflict should be removed. “What is the use to have a state in which you have to transport your customs officers to Brnjak and Jarinje by helicopters? And on the other hand, what kind of a country it would be if Podujevo or Djakovica were considered to be integral parts of Serbia but we needed tanks to enter them,” Dacic asked. The minister also pointed out that the state needed to help Serbs south of the Ibar River to stay there. Ivica Dacic (FoNet, file)

New “demarcation lines in Kosovo” necessary

The interior minister stressed that he had not discussed his idea in detail with President Boris Tadić and other members of the ruling coalition and that he did not know whether they were against it or not but added that this could be a realistic solutions “if we stand behind it”.

“Otherwise, it will be realistic that we don’t get anything. I don’t know if the people understand that if we don’t stand behind this thing I am talking about, that the only thing we can get next is that four municipalities in northern Kosovo have some sort of autonomy within Kosovo,” Dačić was quoted as saying.

When asked whether it was realistic to expect that KFOR would remove the barricades by force, he said that it was Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s tactics to cause conflicts between Serbs and KFOR.

“But Serbs should not clash with those they cannot defeat. We should simply be careful not to get into conflicts with KFOR and EULEX units,” the interior minister pointed out.

He explained that Serbs and Albanians were “arguing” only over the territory and that “carpet should be pulled from under their feet” and that the reason for the conflict should be removed.

“What is the use to have a state in which you have to transport your customs officers to Brnjak and Jarinje by helicopters? And on the other hand, what kind of a country it would be if Podujevo or Đakovica were considered to be integral parts of Serbia but we needed tanks to enter them,” Dačić asked.

The minister also pointed out that the state needed to help Serbs south of the Ibar River to stay there.