Negotiator "moderately optimistic" ahead of new round

Belgrade negotiator in the Kosovo dialogue Borislav Stefanovic says he expects the talks to continue in Brussels on Wednesday. These negotiations will focus on the administrative line checkpoints and representation of Pristina in regional gatherings, said he. Negotiator "moderately optimistic" ahead of new round Stefanovic also stated, in his interview for Belgrade's Vecernje Novosti newspaper, that the "essence of the controversy" that arose over the implementation of the previously reached deal on customs was "not merely a matter of linguistics". "Serbia will not fall for Pristina's attempts to give attributes of inter-state border to the administrative crossings. Those crossings are located on administrative lines, and Jarinje and Brnjak must also have a special regime," he continued. According to Stefanovic, who said he was "moderately optimistic" ahead of a new round, it is also necessary to make sure that Serbs have freedom of movement across these checkpojnts in cars with their license plates. The daily in the meantime writes that "Brussels is preparing" to propose to the negotiating sides on Wednesday "a solution that everyone could interpret in their own way". The expression used is "integrated border management (UBM)", but this "does not suit the Belgrade team, because it would effectively recognize a 'state border'," according to the daily. Stefanovic said he went to each negotiating round "with the desire to reach a solution that will be useful to the citizens": "I repeat, everything that will be agreed must be completely in line with (UNSC) Resolution 1244 and the Serbian Constitution. I have the full mandate of the Serbian government for such a policy and speculation thaz there is disunity over the Kosovo policy in the government are not true." In another interview, this time for the Belgrade-based daily Danas, Stefanovic rejected accusations that the Kosovo talks in Brussels, mediated by the EU, which Serbia is conducting with the Kosovo Albanian authorities, were not sufficiently transparent. According to him, the country's parliament "has a right and must give its appraisal of the policy on Kosovo and Metohija - but the implementation of all agreements depends on the government policy". He stated that Serbia will obtain the confirmation of EU candidacy on December 9, if a compromise solution is reached in the dialogue for one of the two issues - administrative crossings or Pristina's regional representation. "We are expected to continue the dialogue and achieve concrete results. I am convinced that we can show a positive image in that respect, bearing in mind that we resumed the dialogue and reached the agreement on university diplomas. We will have one more meeting on Wednesday, and if we succeeded in achieving a compromise solution on one of the two issues, Serbia would receive confirmation for the EU candidacy," Stefanovic told the newspaper. "This is an important issue, but not the primary. What is most important is that the problems be solved, although we will never recognize nor support the so-called Kosovo's independence," he said. Stefanovic stressed that all the agreements reached with Pristina will be implemented. "The government is in unison on this. I am sure that the dialogue will continue after December 9, which is not a 'D-day'," said he. Borislav Stefanovic and Goran Bogdanovic (Tanjug, file)

Negotiator "moderately optimistic" ahead of new round

Stefanović also stated, in his interview for Belgrade's Večernje Novosti newspaper, that the "essence of the controversy" that arose over the implementation of the previously reached deal on customs was "not merely a matter of linguistics".

"Serbia will not fall for Priština's attempts to give attributes of inter-state border to the administrative crossings. Those crossings are located on administrative lines, and Jarinje and Brnjak must also have a special regime," he continued.

According to Stefanović, who said he was "moderately optimistic" ahead of a new round, it is also necessary to make sure that Serbs have freedom of movement across these checkpojnts in cars with their license plates.

The daily in the meantime writes that "Brussels is preparing" to propose to the negotiating sides on Wednesday "a solution that everyone could interpret in their own way".

The expression used is "integrated border management (UBM)", but this "does not suit the Belgrade team, because it would effectively recognize a 'state border'," according to the daily.

Stefanović said he went to each negotiating round "with the desire to reach a solution that will be useful to the citizens":

"I repeat, everything that will be agreed must be completely in line with (UNSC) Resolution 1244 and the Serbian Constitution. I have the full mandate of the Serbian government for such a policy and speculation thaz there is disunity over the Kosovo policy in the government are not true."

In another interview, this time for the Belgrade-based daily Danas, Stefanović rejected accusations that the Kosovo talks in Brussels, mediated by the EU, which Serbia is conducting with the Kosovo Albanian authorities, were not sufficiently transparent.

According to him, the country's parliament "has a right and must give its appraisal of the policy on Kosovo and Metohija - but the implementation of all agreements depends on the government policy".

He stated that Serbia will obtain the confirmation of EU candidacy on December 9, if a compromise solution is reached in the dialogue for one of the two issues - administrative crossings or Priština's regional representation.

"We are expected to continue the dialogue and achieve concrete results. I am convinced that we can show a positive image in that respect, bearing in mind that we resumed the dialogue and reached the agreement on university diplomas. We will have one more meeting on Wednesday, and if we succeeded in achieving a compromise solution on one of the two issues, Serbia would receive confirmation for the EU candidacy," Stefanović told the newspaper.

"This is an important issue, but not the primary. What is most important is that the problems be solved, although we will never recognize nor support the so-called Kosovo's independence," he said.

Stefanović stressed that all the agreements reached with Priština will be implemented.

"The government is in unison on this. I am sure that the dialogue will continue after December 9, which is not a 'D-day'," said he.