Belgrade team chief talks Kosovo dialogue

Serbian Kosovo talks team chief Borko Stefanovic told B92 on Monday that negotiations would continue at the end of March. The ultimate goal of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is the status discussion, he said. Belgrade team chief talks Kosovo dialogue Stefanovic explained that once the issues of improving quality of life of people in Kosovo have been solved, Kosovo's status will be talked about. "We will continue to work on unsolved issues, and none were solved entirely, but our positions have come closer. We are working on a list of subjects for continued talks," he said of the meetings that started in Brussels last week. "Our goal is to solve concrete things, to help Serbs in Kosovo and to preserve our sovereignty. We wish people (IDPs) would be given a chance to return, and in the end to talk to Pristina (Kosovo Albanians) about regulating our relations, and that's a nice euphemism for the talk on status," said Stefanovic, who is Serbia's MFA political director. He also revealed that positions were farthest apart on the issue of customs stamps, while those related to regional trade organization CEFTA "will present the least problems". Belgrade and Pristina exchanged date regarding land and registrar books and "everything is being done to facilitate people in reaching those documents", according to Stefanovic. He also stressed that the ongoing talks are "no preparation for recognizing Kosovo's independence" - unilaterally declared over three years ago by ethnic Albanians, and rejected by Belgrade as illegal. The Belgrade team leader also commented on Serbia's decision to boycott the U.S.-Balkans Summit in Baltimore later this month because Kosovo Albanian PM Hashim Thaci is scheduled to attend. Stefanovic said that while the decision was harmful when it came to economic benefits, it would have went against the country's state policy to have its representatives take part in gatherings "where Kosovo's official representatives attended as well". (Tanjug)

Belgrade team chief talks Kosovo dialogue

Stefanović explained that once the issues of improving quality of life of people in Kosovo have been solved, Kosovo's status will be talked about.

"We will continue to work on unsolved issues, and none were solved entirely, but our positions have come closer. We are working on a list of subjects for continued talks," he said of the meetings that started in Brussels last week.

"Our goal is to solve concrete things, to help Serbs in Kosovo and to preserve our sovereignty. We wish people (IDPs) would be given a chance to return, and in the end to talk to Priština (Kosovo Albanians) about regulating our relations, and that's a nice euphemism for the talk on status," said Stefanović, who is Serbia's MFA political director.

He also revealed that positions were farthest apart on the issue of customs stamps, while those related to regional trade organization CEFTA "will present the least problems".

Belgrade and Priština exchanged date regarding land and registrar books and "everything is being done to facilitate people in reaching those documents", according to Stefanović.

He also stressed that the ongoing talks are "no preparation for recognizing Kosovo's independence" - unilaterally declared over three years ago by ethnic Albanians, and rejected by Belgrade as illegal.

The Belgrade team leader also commented on Serbia's decision to boycott the U.S.-Balkans Summit in Baltimore later this month because Kosovo Albanian PM Hashim Thaci is scheduled to attend.

Stefanović said that while the decision was harmful when it came to economic benefits, it would have went against the country's state policy to have its representatives take part in gatherings "where Kosovo's official representatives attended as well".