Serbia wants to reach agreement, first deputy PM says

SREMSKA MITROVICA First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic says that Serbia wants to reach an agreement with Pristina and the international community. However, he stressed that the agreement needed to be harmonized with “our elementary state and national interests”. Serbia wants to reach agreement, first deputy PM says Vucic added that a solution would be “a huge thing for our country”. “It does not matter if it will be in three days, because even if we solve the problem in a month, we will do a huge thing for our country,” he said and added that talks were held every day, that problems would not be swept under the rug and that he would not runway from the issue. “I think the most important message is that Serbia wants to solve problems and that it does not have time to wait,” the first deputy prime minister told reporters on Sunday. He underscored that Serbia’s position on the issue was clear. “We are ready and open for talks, always and anywhere, in any place under the EU sponsorship,” adding it was “their business who they will choose and we do not pay attention to such things”. “We did not have any problem with what EU High Representative Catherine Ashton did and how she did things but with the fact that Pristina did not want to make any concession while it was requested from the Serbian side all the time,” Vucic pointed out. He said he had no information about announcements that EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule could replace Ashton in the negotiations, adding he had an impression that everybody was trying to find a way to continue the talks. “It is in our best interest to solve problems instead of letting them pile up,” the deputy PM noted, adding that Belgrade had “intensive” communication with Brussels and many other European and world centers of power in order to find ways to continue the negotiations and find a modus operandi for what should follow. Vucic reiterated that a frozen conflict and status quo did not suit anybody and that he therefore hoped that the international community would show understanding for Serbia’s position and that the talks would continue. Aleksandar Vucic (Beta, file) Tanjug

Serbia wants to reach agreement, first deputy PM says

Vučić added that a solution would be “a huge thing for our country”.

“It does not matter if it will be in three days, because even if we solve the problem in a month, we will do a huge thing for our country,” he said and added that talks were held every day, that problems would not be swept under the rug and that he would not runway from the issue.

“I think the most important message is that Serbia wants to solve problems and that it does not have time to wait,” the first deputy prime minister told reporters on Sunday.

He underscored that Serbia’s position on the issue was clear.

“We are ready and open for talks, always and anywhere, in any place under the EU sponsorship,” adding it was “their business who they will choose and we do not pay attention to such things”.

“We did not have any problem with what EU High Representative Catherine Ashton did and how she did things but with the fact that Priština did not want to make any concession while it was requested from the Serbian side all the time,” Vučić pointed out.

He said he had no information about announcements that EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule could replace Ashton in the negotiations, adding he had an impression that everybody was trying to find a way to continue the talks.

“It is in our best interest to solve problems instead of letting them pile up,” the deputy PM noted, adding that Belgrade had “intensive” communication with Brussels and many other European and world centers of power in order to find ways to continue the negotiations and find a modus operandi for what should follow.

Vučić reiterated that a frozen conflict and status quo did not suit anybody and that he therefore hoped that the international community would show understanding for Serbia’s position and that the talks would continue.