PM: No significant progress in Kosovo dialogue

BRUSSELS PM Ivica Dacic has stated after the sixth round of the dialogue that no agreement was reached on jurisdictions of a proposed association of Serb municipalities. Dacic spoke on Monday in Brussels after his EU-mediated talks with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, to also announce that negotiations would continue on March 20. PM: No significant progress in Kosovo dialogue After the four-hour meeting with Taci in the cabinet of High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in Brussels, the Serbian prime minister said that no significant progress was achieved save for the principled agreement on the need to constitute an association of nine Serb municipalities in Kosovo. "We exchanged experiences, but the differences remain in terms of the character of the association of municipalities," Dacic said and underscored that Belgrade will continue insisting on the association having both executive and legislative authorities. Dacic said that he is aware that the deadline set for reaching the agreement is very short and underscored that there will be no decisions that would be harmful for Serbia's national interest, its laws or the Constitution. "The EU is important but we will not renounce the basic principles on which the proposition for a just solution in Kosovo rests," he was quoted as saying. Dacic also denied the veracity of Thaci's statement that "an oral agreement has been reached on dismantling Serbia's security structures" allegedly present in northern Kosovo. The prime minister explained that this was not true "because Serbia has no security structures in Kosovo". He announced the next round of talks for March 20, adding that he was "still mildly optimistic" in terms of reaching a solution before the report of the European Commission on the progress made in the dialogue which would be filed in mid-April. The Serbian prime minister met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker and on Wednesday, he should meet with European commissioners for regional development, transport and energy. (Tanjug, file) "Good progress" High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton stated that the progress made in the sixth round of the political dialogue in Brussels is good. In a release, Ashton said that Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci "conferred with her in Brussels on Monday within the dialogue on the normalization of relations between the two sides which is being carried out under the EU auspices", according to Tanjug. The EU official also stated that they "made good progress". Ashton then noted that there was "still work than needs to be done until March 20", when the next meeting would be staged. Tanjug

PM: No significant progress in Kosovo dialogue

After the four-hour meeting with Taci in the cabinet of High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in Brussels, the Serbian prime minister said that no significant progress was achieved save for the principled agreement on the need to constitute an association of nine Serb municipalities in Kosovo.

"We exchanged experiences, but the differences remain in terms of the character of the association of municipalities," Dačić said and underscored that Belgrade will continue insisting on the association having both executive and legislative authorities.

Dačić said that he is aware that the deadline set for reaching the agreement is very short and underscored that there will be no decisions that would be harmful for Serbia's national interest, its laws or the Constitution.

"The EU is important but we will not renounce the basic principles on which the proposition for a just solution in Kosovo rests," he was quoted as saying.

Dačić also denied the veracity of Thaci's statement that "an oral agreement has been reached on dismantling Serbia's security structures" allegedly present in northern Kosovo. The prime minister explained that this was not true "because Serbia has no security structures in Kosovo".

He announced the next round of talks for March 20, adding that he was "still mildly optimistic" in terms of reaching a solution before the report of the European Commission on the progress made in the dialogue which would be filed in mid-April.

The Serbian prime minister met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker and on Wednesday, he should meet with European commissioners for regional development, transport and energy.

"Good progress"

High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton stated that the progress made in the sixth round of the political dialogue in Brussels is good.

In a release, Ashton said that Ivica Dačić and Hashim Thaci "conferred with her in Brussels on Monday within the dialogue on the normalization of relations between the two sides which is being carried out under the EU auspices", according to Tanjug.

The EU official also stated that they "made good progress".

Ashton then noted that there was "still work than needs to be done until March 20", when the next meeting would be staged.