Belgrade "expects EU to defend agreements with Priština"

BELGRADE Rasim Ljajic says Pristina "first accepted the proposed solution for telecommunications but now wants to change what has been agreed." The Serbian minister of trade and telecommunications added on Wednesday that Belgrade "expects the EU to defend the agreed position." Belgrade "expects EU to defend agreements with Pristina" "We cannot discuss things we already agreed on or we would never have an agreement, because each side can keep going back and asking for changes to agreements that have been made," Ljajic told Tanjug. Ljajic explained that Pristina's representatives consented to issue a temporary license for Telekom Srbija's base stations currently operational in Kosovo, which practically means a legalization of the present state, and in two years' time Telekom would have the right to bid on a license at a tender along with other companies. "Pristina's representatives agreed to this. We do not know what the problem is now and as far as we are concerned, we have harmonized a text and expect it to be implemented," said Ljajic. The text of the agreement was harmonized with representatives of the European Commission in Brussels last week and it is acceptable for Belgrade because it satisfies the interests of both sides and makes a compromise possible, he recalled. "The agreement honors that actual state of Telekom's operation in Kosovo, which Pristina's representatives accepted," he stressed. The Kosovo government said in a release Tuesday that "it does not accept the demands of the Serbian delegation regarding mobile phone service and no agreement has been reached on the issue." Edita Tahiri, who heads Pristina's delegation in talks on the implementation of the Brussels agreement, discussed options for bridging differences on telecommunications issues with Director for the Western Balkans in the European Commission Pierre Mirel. "In the meeting, EU representatives presented the latest demands of the Serbian side in the area of mobile phone service, which the Kosovo delegation considered and rejected, stating that it is standing by the position that the solution should be in line with Kosovo law and European principles," says the release. Tanjug

Belgrade "expects EU to defend agreements with Priština"

"We cannot discuss things we already agreed on or we would never have an agreement, because each side can keep going back and asking for changes to agreements that have been made," Ljajić told Tanjug.

Ljajić explained that Priština's representatives consented to issue a temporary license for Telekom Srbija's base stations currently operational in Kosovo, which practically means a legalization of the present state, and in two years' time Telekom would have the right to bid on a license at a tender along with other companies.

"Priština's representatives agreed to this. We do not know what the problem is now and as far as we are concerned, we have harmonized a text and expect it to be implemented," said Ljajić.

The text of the agreement was harmonized with representatives of the European Commission in Brussels last week and it is acceptable for Belgrade because it satisfies the interests of both sides and makes a compromise possible, he recalled.

"The agreement honors that actual state of Telekom's operation in Kosovo, which Priština's representatives accepted," he stressed.

The Kosovo government said in a release Tuesday that "it does not accept the demands of the Serbian delegation regarding mobile phone service and no agreement has been reached on the issue."

Edita Tahiri, who heads Priština's delegation in talks on the implementation of the Brussels agreement, discussed options for bridging differences on telecommunications issues with Director for the Western Balkans in the European Commission Pierre Mirel.

"In the meeting, EU representatives presented the latest demands of the Serbian side in the area of mobile phone service, which the Kosovo delegation considered and rejected, stating that it is standing by the position that the solution should be in line with Kosovo law and European principles," says the release.