No progress in first round of Kosovo talks

The beginning of new talks on the status of Kosovo ended in Vienna as expected, with no breakthrought. Both the Serbian and Albanian sides and the international envoys stated that there had been no talk of partitioning Kosovo, and that both Belgrade and Pristina officials said they were ready for direct talks. No progress in first round of Kosovo talks It was also announced that direct talks could take place in New York in September, as the United Nations General Assembly holds its session. Belgrade spent about three hours presenting in detail its essential autonomy plan. The meeting with Troika diplomats, Wolfgang Ischinger, Frank Wisner and Alexandr Botsan-Kharchenko lasted longer because the three envoys representing the EU, U.S., and Russia questioned the Belgrade delegation over their proposal. Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic, one of the Belgrade team leaders, said that he was pleased with the first round of talks. The Belgrade delegation said that they had insisted on two principles, as Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic explained: that the negotiations need to take place directly between Serbia and Kosovo Albanian officials, and that the only topic should be Kosovo’s future status. However, Serbian officials said, the Albanians have absolutely no desire to discuss status, stating instead that it has already been determined and that Kosovo will be independent. More intensive talks are expected some time in September, along with the possibility of direct talks between Belgrade and Pristina in New York. Kosovo Albanians continue push for independence After returning from the first round of new Kosovo status talks in Vienna on Thursday, the ethnic Kosovo Albanian leaders reiterated that their demand for independence is non-negotiable. "We reconfirmed our position that the independence of Kosovo is non-negotiable, nor is Kosovo's territorial integrity," Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said at a press conference in Pristina on Thursday. Sejdiu also said that the plan developed and presented by the United Nations' Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari in early 2007, which proposes internationally-supervised independence for the province, must be the outline by which a solution would be found. "We have promised that in our forthcoming meetings we will come forward with a written document in which we intend to support our position on independence, and the basis for any kind of negotiations is Ahtisaari's plan," Sejdiu said. While Serbia claims that no official deadlines for the new negotiations have been set, Kosovo officials want to stay within the proposed time frame of 140 days, with the overwhelmingly Albanian majority in Kosovo growing weary of waiting. "We were clear in saying that at the end of the process on December 10, we expect independence to be recognized," Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku said.

No progress in first round of Kosovo talks

It was also announced that direct talks could take place in New York in September, as the United Nations General Assembly holds its session.

Belgrade spent about three hours presenting in detail its essential autonomy plan. The meeting with Troika diplomats, Wolfgang Ischinger, Frank Wisner and Alexandr Botsan-Kharchenko lasted longer because the three envoys representing the EU, U.S., and Russia questioned the Belgrade delegation over their proposal.

Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić, one of the Belgrade team leaders, said that he was pleased with the first round of talks.

The Belgrade delegation said that they had insisted on two principles, as Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić explained: that the negotiations need to take place directly between Serbia and Kosovo Albanian officials, and that the only topic should be Kosovo’s future status.

However, Serbian officials said, the Albanians have absolutely no desire to discuss status, stating instead that it has already been determined and that Kosovo will be independent.

More intensive talks are expected some time in September, along with the possibility of direct talks between Belgrade and Priština in New York.

Kosovo Albanians continue push for independence

After returning from the first round of new Kosovo status talks in Vienna on Thursday, the ethnic Kosovo Albanian leaders reiterated that their demand for independence is non-negotiable.

"We reconfirmed our position that the independence of Kosovo is non-negotiable, nor is Kosovo's territorial integrity," Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said at a press conference in Priština on Thursday.

Sejdiu also said that the plan developed and presented by the United Nations' Kosovo envoy Martti Ahtisaari in early 2007, which proposes internationally-supervised independence for the province, must be the outline by which a solution would be found.

"We have promised that in our forthcoming meetings we will come forward with a written document in which we intend to support our position on independence, and the basis for any kind of negotiations is Ahtisaari's plan," Sejdiu said.

While Serbia claims that no official deadlines for the new negotiations have been set, Kosovo officials want to stay within the proposed time frame of 140 days, with the overwhelmingly Albanian majority in Kosovo growing weary of waiting.

"We were clear in saying that at the end of the process on December 10, we expect independence to be recognized," Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku said.