PM says he "could withdraw from Kosovo talks"

BELGRADE PM Ivica Dacic says he is "prepared to abandon the talks with Hashim Thaci and Catherine Ashton" over the violation of a previously reached agreement. The agreement concerns the implementation of the IBM deal, and specifies that customs should not be paid for goods coming from central Serbia and destined for the northern, Serb part of Kosovo. PM says he "could withdraw from Kosovo talks" "I will not take part in the negotiations unless what we have agreed on is being respected," Dacic told reporters in Belgrade on Tuesday. As for the current situation regarding the implementation of the agreement, he said he was "absolutely dissatisfied": "Our goal is not to avoid payment of customs and duties, and we wish to reach an agreement in the talks that will continue after January 10. That means, who will be charged and whether they'll be charged, who gets the income from the customs and so on." Dacic also stated that "it will be decided soon" on whether the talks will resume, and noted that "if Hashim Thaci does not have the power to respect agreements, let somebody else who does come." According to him, Serbia "does not wish to go to war again", and instead wants to solve problems through negotiations. Dacic also said that "normalization of relations with Pristina" was a condition to join the EU. Dacic asserted that the policy pursued in the past 13 years was wrong, "because the Serbs in Kosovo are not Belgrade's branch office, but indigenous people". "We need to have an initiative. We believe that Kosovo is part of Serbia, but we have to understand that we lost wars in Croatia and Kosovo and that we cannot act as if we won," he stressed. As for media reports on Tuesday that Serbia's state platform on Kosovo will call for "a kind of entity for Serbs", Dacic said that "in the dialogue with Pristina and the EU, if there is no will to solve the issue of Kosovo and Metohija permanently, Serbia must have suggestions that will go toward protecting the interests of Serbs in the province". "What appeared in the media is part of the overall thinking that must be checked with the international community and politicians in Serbia," he stated, and added: "This is not a position for negotiations about a lasting solution. If there is no desire to regulate our relations, that is, a lasting solution that would be acceptable both to Serbs and Albanians, it must be seen how Serbs in Kosovo will organize." The "topic of Serb institutions in Kosovo and Metohija awaits Serbia in the coming months", he continued, "and for that reason Belgrade should come up with some suggestions". B92 learned on Tuesday that the Kosovo dialogue should resume in Brussels on January 17, while technical teams to implement the previously reached agreements should meet before that. (Beta) B92 Beta Tanjug

PM says he "could withdraw from Kosovo talks"

"I will not take part in the negotiations unless what we have agreed on is being respected," Dačić told reporters in Belgrade on Tuesday.

As for the current situation regarding the implementation of the agreement, he said he was "absolutely dissatisfied":

"Our goal is not to avoid payment of customs and duties, and we wish to reach an agreement in the talks that will continue after January 10. That means, who will be charged and whether they'll be charged, who gets the income from the customs and so on."

Dačić also stated that "it will be decided soon" on whether the talks will resume, and noted that "if Hashim Thaci does not have the power to respect agreements, let somebody else who does come."

According to him, Serbia "does not wish to go to war again", and instead wants to solve problems through negotiations. Dačić also said that "normalization of relations with Priština" was a condition to join the EU.

Dačić asserted that the policy pursued in the past 13 years was wrong, "because the Serbs in Kosovo are not Belgrade's branch office, but indigenous people".

"We need to have an initiative. We believe that Kosovo is part of Serbia, but we have to understand that we lost wars in Croatia and Kosovo and that we cannot act as if we won," he stressed.

As for media reports on Tuesday that Serbia's state platform on Kosovo will call for "a kind of entity for Serbs", Dačić said that "in the dialogue with Priština and the EU, if there is no will to solve the issue of Kosovo and Metohija permanently, Serbia must have suggestions that will go toward protecting the interests of Serbs in the province".

"What appeared in the media is part of the overall thinking that must be checked with the international community and politicians in Serbia," he stated, and added:

"This is not a position for negotiations about a lasting solution. If there is no desire to regulate our relations, that is, a lasting solution that would be acceptable both to Serbs and Albanians, it must be seen how Serbs in Kosovo will organize."

The "topic of Serb institutions in Kosovo and Metohija awaits Serbia in the coming months", he continued, "and for that reason Belgrade should come up with some suggestions".

B92 learned on Tuesday that the Kosovo dialogue should resume in Brussels on January 17, while technical teams to implement the previously reached agreements should meet before that.