Minister for Kosovo meets with EU mediator

Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic said Friday he and EU mediator Robert Cooper agreed that the dialogue needed to continue as soon as possible. He added and that an independent investigation into the incidents at the Jarinje administrative crossing was necessary. Minister for Kosovo meets with EU mediator According to him, it was also agreed that international institutions in Kosovo, primarily KFOR and EULEX, must maintain contact with local Serbs. "We have agreed that the situation in northern Kosovo is unacceptable to all. We also concurred the dialogue should be resumed as soon as possible and used to solve problems in Kosovo, including the north," he continued. Bogdanovic stated he had explained to Cooper that the northern Kosovo Serbs were not using roadblocks to threaten KFOR and EULEX, but that they were there because of the presence of Kosovo customs officers and the police at administrative checkpoints. “Serbs have nothing against KFOR and EULEX having freedom of movement, but they cannot have them transporting Kosovo customs officers, nor can they tolerate KFOR shutting down alternative routes and preventing the people from getting food,” he stressed. “Cooper will discuss the details of a proposal to settle the situation in northern Kosovo with head of the Belgrade team for the talks with Pristina Borislav Stefanovic,” the minister stated. Commenting on the requirements for the continuation of the negotiations, he reiterated it would be pointless to discuss energy and communications with roadblocks set up in northern Kosovo. According to Bogdanovic, the goal of the dialogue is not simply to have it and agree on something, but to make sure those solutions are applicable and work to the benefit of the people. “There is a danger of obstructions to any potential agreements at the moment,” he pointed out. Bogdanovic and Cooper stressed that the incident that happened at the Jarinje checkpoint must never happen again. Commenting on media reports that Serbian businessman Zvonko Veselinovic is responsible for the riots at the checkpoint on September 27, Bogdanovic said that “there are no criminals at the barricades in northern Kosovo and just fight of the Serbian people cannot be disavowed by satanization of Serbs”. Beta news agency reported earlier that the Serbian minister told reporters that he was neither an investigative judge nor a police officer to claim that Veselinovic had taken part in the Jarinje riots. “If it turns out that anyone was guilty, they must be held responsible,” he said and added that it was unacceptable to attack KFOR and EULEX but that it was also unacceptable to have someone “shoot at unarmed people”. The EU facilitator will also meet with Interior Minister Ivica Dacic. Ahead of Cooper's visit to Belgrade, Stefanovic stated that the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings in northern Kosovo would be the main topics of talks, and thus denied the recent claims in the public that this issue would not be discussed during the talks. “This is an urgent problem that must be resolved so that we can start resolving the issues of telecom, electric power and representation of Pristina in regional initiatives,” the Belgrade team head told Tanjug earlier on Friday. He added that in any case, there was mutual understanding of Belgrade and the EU that the issue of the Jarinje and Brnjak checkpoints needed to get a framework that satisfied all involved parties. Stefanovic stressed that today's meeting with the EU facilitator was practically a continuation of talks on resolving the issue of Jarinje and Brnjak that started in Brussels, adding, however, that one should not expect wonders. “We will have a substantial conversation that will perhaps give a solution tomorrow, but we should not expect miracles or create false deadlines. This is one of the opportunities to reach a satisfying solution for all in terms of Jarinje and Brnjak functioning,” he pointed out. According to Stefanovic, the prospects for further dialogue with Pristina will also be discussed with Cooper, as well as the topics included in the agenda of the meeting. “Both parties desire to continue dialogue as soon as possible, and Belgrade is committed to talks as the only framework for resolving specific problems,” the Belgrade team chief noted. Cooper is seen during his meeting with Bogdanovic on Friday (Tanjug)

Minister for Kosovo meets with EU mediator

According to him, it was also agreed that international institutions in Kosovo, primarily KFOR and EULEX, must maintain contact with local Serbs.

"We have agreed that the situation in northern Kosovo is unacceptable to all. We also concurred the dialogue should be resumed as soon as possible and used to solve problems in Kosovo, including the north," he continued.

Bogdanović stated he had explained to Cooper that the northern Kosovo Serbs were not using roadblocks to threaten KFOR and EULEX, but that they were there because of the presence of Kosovo customs officers and the police at administrative checkpoints.

“Serbs have nothing against KFOR and EULEX having freedom of movement, but they cannot have them transporting Kosovo customs officers, nor can they tolerate KFOR shutting down alternative routes and preventing the people from getting food,” he stressed.

“Cooper will discuss the details of a proposal to settle the situation in northern Kosovo with head of the Belgrade team for the talks with Priština Borislav Stefanović,” the minister stated.

Commenting on the requirements for the continuation of the negotiations, he reiterated it would be pointless to discuss energy and communications with roadblocks set up in northern Kosovo.

According to Bogdanović, the goal of the dialogue is not simply to have it and agree on something, but to make sure those solutions are applicable and work to the benefit of the people.

“There is a danger of obstructions to any potential agreements at the moment,” he pointed out.

Bogdanović and Cooper stressed that the incident that happened at the Jarinje checkpoint must never happen again.

Commenting on media reports that Serbian businessman Zvonko Veselinović is responsible for the riots at the checkpoint on September 27, Bogdanović said that “there are no criminals at the barricades in northern Kosovo and just fight of the Serbian people cannot be disavowed by satanization of Serbs”.

Beta news agency reported earlier that the Serbian minister told reporters that he was neither an investigative judge nor a police officer to claim that Veselinović had taken part in the Jarinje riots.

“If it turns out that anyone was guilty, they must be held responsible,” he said and added that it was unacceptable to attack KFOR and EULEX but that it was also unacceptable to have someone “shoot at unarmed people”.

The EU facilitator will also meet with Interior Minister Ivica Dačić.

Ahead of Cooper's visit to Belgrade, Stefanović stated that the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings in northern Kosovo would be the main topics of talks, and thus denied the recent claims in the public that this issue would not be discussed during the talks.

“This is an urgent problem that must be resolved so that we can start resolving the issues of telecom, electric power and representation of Priština in regional initiatives,” the Belgrade team head told Tanjug earlier on Friday.

He added that in any case, there was mutual understanding of Belgrade and the EU that the issue of the Jarinje and Brnjak checkpoints needed to get a framework that satisfied all involved parties.

Stefanović stressed that today's meeting with the EU facilitator was practically a continuation of talks on resolving the issue of Jarinje and Brnjak that started in Brussels, adding, however, that one should not expect wonders.

“We will have a substantial conversation that will perhaps give a solution tomorrow, but we should not expect miracles or create false deadlines. This is one of the opportunities to reach a satisfying solution for all in terms of Jarinje and Brnjak functioning,” he pointed out.

According to Stefanović, the prospects for further dialogue with Priština will also be discussed with Cooper, as well as the topics included in the agenda of the meeting.

“Both parties desire to continue dialogue as soon as possible, and Belgrade is committed to talks as the only framework for resolving specific problems,” the Belgrade team chief noted.