Team chief: Solution for northern Kosovo crossings close

Belgrade team chief Borislav Stefanovic said on Saturday that a solution to the Brnjak and Jarinje administrative crossings was close. “The outlines of a solution for the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo are coming into view, and the goal is to confirm the special status of Jarinje and Brnjak and to ensure Serbia has influence and presence at these crossings,” he told Tanjug. Team chief: Solution for northern Kosovo crossings close He declined to comment on the writing of Pristina press that an agreement had been reached on an integrated control of the crossings, because "the final agreement cannot be discussed until Serbian state bodies have their say on the document on Kosovo." "Before any final agreement, the state bodies need to state their opinion. However, our trip to Brussels, which I expect immediately after, will be in large part a confrontation with already quite developed topics relating to the crossings and also issues from the next round of the dialogue, particularly regional representation of Pristina at multilateral forums and recognition of college degrees," Stefanovic stressed. Asked whether the solution would apply to all six administrative crossings in northern Kosovo, he responded affirmatively. "But the solution will have to acknowledge the special status of Brnjak and Jarinje. Serbia's goal is to confirm the six-point plan by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Resolution 1244, the special status of Brnjak and Jarinje, and to ensure the Serbian state has influence and presence at these crossings," the team head explained. Asked how he plans to win over the political leaders from the north who were opposed to the document on Kosovo, Stefanovic said the Serbs needed to listen to all options and pointed out he needed to meet with the local leaders soon. In his opinion, the politicians in northern Kosovo are manipulating the people to serve party interests, so resistance is to be expected. "We definitely do not expect the solution to meet with unanimous support... But the manipulation of the people must stop," Stefanovic concluded. Borislav Stefanovic (Tanjug, file)

Team chief: Solution for northern Kosovo crossings close

He declined to comment on the writing of Priština press that an agreement had been reached on an integrated control of the crossings, because "the final agreement cannot be discussed until Serbian state bodies have their say on the document on Kosovo."

"Before any final agreement, the state bodies need to state their opinion. However, our trip to Brussels, which I expect immediately after, will be in large part a confrontation with already quite developed topics relating to the crossings and also issues from the next round of the dialogue, particularly regional representation of Priština at multilateral forums and recognition of college degrees," Stefanović stressed.

Asked whether the solution would apply to all six administrative crossings in northern Kosovo, he responded affirmatively.

"But the solution will have to acknowledge the special status of Brnjak and Jarinje. Serbia's goal is to confirm the six-point plan by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Resolution 1244, the special status of Brnjak and Jarinje, and to ensure the Serbian state has influence and presence at these crossings," the team head explained.

Asked how he plans to win over the political leaders from the north who were opposed to the document on Kosovo, Stefanović said the Serbs needed to listen to all options and pointed out he needed to meet with the local leaders soon.

In his opinion, the politicians in northern Kosovo are manipulating the people to serve party interests, so resistance is to be expected.

"We definitely do not expect the solution to meet with unanimous support... But the manipulation of the people must stop," Stefanović concluded.