"Negotiation draft gives option to freeze negotiations"

BRUSSELS, BELGRADE A draft negotiation framework gives the European Commission the ability to freeze negotiations with Serbia "in case of obstruction of negotiations with Kosovo." This is according to Serbian media reporters from Brussels, who had seen the document reported. "Negotiation draft gives option to freeze negotiations" "Serbia is expected to show a visible and sustainable progress in relations with Kosovo" and the draft suggests that the whole negotiation process should, at one moment, result in signing the legally obligatory agreement by the two sides, the media said. By placing Kosovo in the center of negotiations and simultaneous insisting on balance progress in all areas means that no issues in the process cannot significantly fall back. In that case, EC keeps the right to block the complete negotiation process, Belgrade-based electronic media reported. It was reiterated that the normalization of relations with Pristina was an issue in chapter 35, which would be open simultaneously with chapters 23 (judiciary and basic issues) and 24 (justice, freedom and safety), and that these issues would be on the agenda during the whole negotiation process. The rules according to which the negotiation process would develop could be found in the article 6 of the draft, and it says that it would be necessary to secure balance in the negotiation progress regarding different chapters. Lack of progress in the areas that are covered by chapters 23 and 24 would give the right to the Commission to close the negotiations on their own request or proposal of one third of member countries, which would make decisions on possible freezing of negotiations by qualified majority of votes. Article 7 of the document prescribes that the stopping of negotiations could be introduced due to serious problems in negotiation process between Pristina and Belgrade i.e. in case if the progress towards the full normalization of relations with Kosovo from chapter 35 is significantly slower than the progress in the other areas. The draft also mentions already familiar requests to Serbia - to implement agreements with Kosovo, honor principles of including Kosovo into regional cooperation, to solve problems through dialogue and cooperate with EULEX. EU member countries should enact the draft of negotiation framework with Serbia unanimously and considering the fact that the European Council had set the start of negotiations for January 24, Belgrade-based electronic media reported on Wednesday. VIP

"Negotiation draft gives option to freeze negotiations"

"Serbia is expected to show a visible and sustainable progress in relations with Kosovo" and the draft suggests that the whole negotiation process should, at one moment, result in signing the legally obligatory agreement by the two sides, the media said.

By placing Kosovo in the center of negotiations and simultaneous insisting on balance progress in all areas means that no issues in the process cannot significantly fall back. In that case, EC keeps the right to block the complete negotiation process, Belgrade-based electronic media reported.

It was reiterated that the normalization of relations with Priština was an issue in chapter 35, which would be open simultaneously with chapters 23 (judiciary and basic issues) and 24 (justice, freedom and safety), and that these issues would be on the agenda during the whole negotiation process.

The rules according to which the negotiation process would develop could be found in the article 6 of the draft, and it says that it would be necessary to secure balance in the negotiation progress regarding different chapters.

Lack of progress in the areas that are covered by chapters 23 and 24 would give the right to the Commission to close the negotiations on their own request or proposal of one third of member

countries, which would make decisions on possible freezing of negotiations by qualified majority of votes.

Article 7 of the document prescribes that the stopping of negotiations could be introduced due to serious problems in negotiation process between Priština and Belgrade i.e. in case if the progress towards the full normalization of relations with Kosovo from chapter 35 is significantly slower than the progress in the other areas.

The draft also mentions already familiar requests to Serbia - to implement agreements with Kosovo, honor principles of including Kosovo into regional cooperation, to solve problems through dialogue and cooperate with EULEX.

EU member countries should enact the draft of negotiation framework with Serbia unanimously and considering the fact that the European Council had set the start of negotiations for January 24,

Belgrade-based electronic media reported on Wednesday.