Fule: Deal on north brings Kosovo closer to EU

PRISTINA EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule on Tuesday in Pristina expressed support for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. He noted that reaching an agreement on Wednesday in Brussels and implementing it on the ground could pave the way to a positive decision of the European Council on the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Kosovo. Fule: Deal on north brings Kosovo closer to EU The seventh round of EU-facilitated talks between Belgrade and Pristina is set to take place in Brussels on Wednesday. After a meeting with Kosovo's Minister of European Integration Vlora Citaku, Fule told a news conference that his main message to Kosovo and its officials is that he wholeheartedly supports Kosovo's efforts in the dialogue with Serbia and acknowledges the progress made in meeting the short-term priorities outlined in the Feasibility Study, Radio Free Europe reported. Fule arrived in Pristina from Belgrade, where he conferred with state officials Monday. After the meeting he said that the EU is hoping for further progress in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, especially concerning the issue of northern Kosovo, and noted that if the progress is made, Serbia could get a date for accession talks with the EU this year, after the European Commission evaluates its progress in the dialogue in April, and its progress in reforms in September. (file) "Deal possible if there is no RS in Kosovo" Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Thaci stated on Tuesday that an agreement on the association of Serb municipalities could be reached as early as Wednesday, at a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic - "but only if Serbia gave up on its request for the association to get executive and judicial powers". After meeting with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden in Vatican, where he attended the enthronement of the new Roman Catholic pontiff, Pope Francis, Thaci said that an agreement with Serbia is possible, if the country gives up "the creation of a Serb Republic (RS)" in Kosovo, the Pristina media reported. The Kosovo prime minister told Radio Television of Kosovo that "the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo are the basis for the powers of the association of Serb municipalities" and pointed out that the U.S. expects an agreement to be reached in order to "normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo". Tanjug

Fule: Deal on north brings Kosovo closer to EU

The seventh round of EU-facilitated talks between Belgrade and Priština is set to take place in Brussels on Wednesday.

After a meeting with Kosovo's Minister of European Integration Vlora Citaku, Fule told a news conference that his main message to Kosovo and its officials is that he wholeheartedly supports Kosovo's efforts in the dialogue with Serbia and acknowledges the progress made in meeting the short-term priorities outlined in the Feasibility Study, Radio Free Europe reported.

Fule arrived in Priština from Belgrade, where he conferred with state officials Monday. After the meeting he said that the EU is hoping for further progress in the Belgrade-Priština dialogue, especially concerning the issue of northern Kosovo, and noted that if the progress is made, Serbia could get a date for accession talks with the EU this year, after the European Commission evaluates its progress in the dialogue in April, and its progress in reforms in September.

"Deal possible if there is no RS in Kosovo"

Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Thaci stated on Tuesday that an agreement on the association of Serb municipalities could be reached as early as Wednesday, at a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić - "but only if Serbia gave up on its request for the association to get executive and judicial powers".

After meeting with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden in Vatican, where he attended the enthronement of the new Roman Catholic pontiff, Pope Francis, Thaci said that an agreement with Serbia is possible, if the country gives up "the creation of a Serb Republic (RS)" in Kosovo, the Priština media reported.

The Kosovo prime minister told Radio Television of Kosovo that "the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo are the basis for the powers of the association of Serb municipalities" and pointed out that the U.S. expects an agreement to be reached in order to "normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo".