"Talks to end in historic deal; Kosovo to get army in 2017"

"Talks to end in historic deal; Kosovo to get army in 2017"

Thaci spoke after returning from Brussels earlier in the week - where he met, with the mediation of EU's Federica Mogerini, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, for the first time after almost half a year.

In an interview for Albanian broadcaster ABC NEWS, cited by the Pristina-based Albanian language website Gazeta Express, Thaci "urged all political entities in Kosovo to join the dialogue process."

According to him, "the time has come to reopen a new phase of dialogue, at a higher political level" - but also for "a stronger and more meaningful dialogue that would lead to complete normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and people in those areas."

In addition, Thaci said, it would lead to "good neighborly relations and reconciliation among people", reported another Pristina media outlet, Epoka e Re.

Thaci also said he was "convinced that there will be no institutional crisis in Kosovo after the June 11 parliamentary elections," noting that he believed that new institutions would be formed within the legal framework.

Thaci thinks that Kosovo needs "a stable, multi-ethnic government, with a Euro-Atlantic spirit."

"I see the will of the winning coalition (whose candidate for PM is Ramush Haradinaj) to establish new institutions in a record time, which I also hope for," Thaci said.

Speaking about the transformation of the Kosovo Security Forces into an army, Thaci said he expects the issue to be resolved "by the end of the year."

"The process is ongoing, and we have made progress in this direction. We have built a framework with the international community to move step by step. It is important that Serbs and other communities now also integrate into the Kosovo Security Forces. To date, ten percent of the KSF consists of (members from) communities, which is the state and the interest of the country and of Kosovo society, to have a modern, multi-ethnic army with NATO standards. I strongly believe that the Kosovo Armed Forces will be formed during 2017," Thaci said.