Another official dismisses "peace accord" claims

Another official dismisses "peace accord" claims

“It seems to me that, due to various political circumstances in Priština, this statement was more or less intended for their own public and internal political events,” she said in a statement to Tanjug, reiterating that the end result of the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština would not be a peace agreement.

“It is not a form anticipated in any way and that is why the dialogue is there to begin with. You do not suppose that we or any other party would be taking part in something the end result of which is known in advance,” she said.

Joksimović emphasized that Belgrade viewed the Brussels dialogue as “the most acceptable form to find solutions that will satisfy the interests of our community in Kosovo before all.”

Ivica Dačić, Serbia’s first deputy prime minister minister of foreign affairs, said earlier that Serbia would not sign an international peace accord with Kosovo.

The interim authorities in Priština declared Kosovo independent on February 17, 2008, a unilateral move that Serbia does not recognize.

"Dedicated member"

Also on Tuesday, Jadranka Joksimović met with head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade Antje Rothemund and said Serbia was a dedicated member of the Council of Europe, not only in term of participation by its delegations in the council's permanent bodies, but most of all in the primary field of its activity - protection of human rights.

According to a release after the meeting, Joksimović said the cooperation with the Council of Europe was extremely important for progress in EU integration, but also for improving the life of the Serbian people, especially when it comes to the vulnerable categories of the society.

Those are the reasons Serbia had in mind when asking the Council of Europe to help the government projects meant to improve the situation with human rights in the country, she stated.

Rothemund stressed that the Council of Europe would remain open to providing expert support to Serbia even after her departure.

According to Rothemund, just as Serbia is an active member of the Council of Europe, so the Council remains present in Serbia in areas referring to improvements of the Constitution, judicial reform, battle against corruption and prevention of all types of discrimination.