Tadić tells Serbs to leave barricades

Boris Tadic has called on Serbs from northern Kosovo to withdraw from barricades. "The barricades are not contributing to the defense of Serb national interests. On the contrary, they are endangering them." Tadic tells Serbs to leave barricades The president of Serbia also warned KFOR soldiers not to remove the barricades, because that action endangers the lives of the citizens and could produce a risk in northern Kosovo. His appraisal is that this is a vicious circle from which there is no way out and that benefits only extremists. We cannot solve problems in this way, said Tadic. He also says that any escalation in Kosovo endangers Serbia's interest and stressed that mistakes from the 90s must not be repeated when representatives of Serbs rejected the Vance-Owen plan and plan Z-4. KFOR today talked to representatives of local Serbs, but no agreement was reached, while international forces warned that unless Serbs remove themselves from the barricades, they will be forced to use tear gas. Tadic is seen in Belgrade on Tuesday (Tanjug) Candidacy bid Boris Tadic also said today in Belgrade that the latest events in northern Kosovo have hurt Serbia's credibility and its capacity to defend national interests, stressing Serbia is further away from getting candidate status today than it was two days ago. Tadic said there are many who do not want Serbia to get candidate status - some EU countries which are experiencing enlargement fatigue, criminal or political interests who want the Serbian government to fail, and political extremists. "I am referring to all those who think patriotism is expressed through violence, as was the case in the 1990s," Tadic said, asked by reporters about how the incidents in Jagnjenica will affect Serbia's candidacy bid. On the other side we have the political powers and citizens who want to see Serbia as a stable country, a country with credibility, because only such countries attract investors. "When it comes to my stance, I will not give up - I will continue the process of resolving problems through peaceful means and dialogue," Tadic said.

Tadić tells Serbs to leave barricades

The president of Serbia also warned KFOR soldiers not to remove the barricades, because that action endangers the lives of the citizens and could produce a risk in northern Kosovo.

His appraisal is that this is a vicious circle from which there is no way out and that benefits only extremists. We cannot solve problems in this way, said Tadić.

He also says that any escalation in Kosovo endangers Serbia's interest and stressed that mistakes from the 90s must not be repeated when representatives of Serbs rejected the Vance-Owen plan and plan Z-4.

KFOR today talked to representatives of local Serbs, but no agreement was reached, while international forces warned that unless Serbs remove themselves from the barricades, they will be forced to use tear gas.

Candidacy bid

Boris Tadić also said today in Belgrade that the latest events in northern Kosovo have hurt Serbia's credibility and its capacity to defend national interests, stressing Serbia is further away from getting candidate status today than it was two days ago.

Tadić said there are many who do not want Serbia to get candidate status - some EU countries which are experiencing enlargement fatigue, criminal or political interests who want the Serbian government to fail, and political extremists.

"I am referring to all those who think patriotism is expressed through violence, as was the case in the 1990s," Tadić said, asked by reporters about how the incidents in Jagnjenica will affect Serbia's candidacy bid.

On the other side we have the political powers and citizens who want to see Serbia as a stable country, a country with credibility, because only such countries attract investors.

"When it comes to my stance, I will not give up - I will continue the process of resolving problems through peaceful means and dialogue," Tadić said.