Belgrade-Priština issues “to be resolved through dialogue”

BELGRADE A permanent and sustainable solution for the Belgrade-Pristina relations can only be found through a dialogue, Serbian president’s advisot Marko Djuric has said. He added that all other ways had proven less productive and unsatisfactory. Belgrade-Pristina issues “to be resolved through dialogue” “We want the future administration to have results as tangible as possible when it comes to the EU integration and progress in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina,” Djuric told Tanjug. He stressed that before those goals could be achieved, the widest possible consensus on the Kosovo strategy needed to be reached. According to him, the consensus would determine the format of the dialogue, UN’s participation, with whom the Serbian authorities would be willing to talks to. “It is very important to us to reach a consensus on the format of the political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. It is important to us that all important social factors take part in the process and that the outcome of the process is a solution that will be acceptable from the aspect of our state and national interests,” he explained. Djuric said that it was only certain that the dialogue would be taken to a political level. He noted that the consensus should allow Serbia to achieve its interests. “Those are primarily survival of our population, survival of our state territory, preservation of our interests that are guaranteed by the Constitution and the entire state leadership is committed to it,” the president’s advisor said. He added that the new government would work in implementing the agreements that had been reached in Brussels. When asked how the disputable agreements, such as the one on Pristina’s representation, would be implemented, he said that the political consensus envisaged agreement on all important issues regarding the technical and political negotiations. Djuric said that Serbia had become much better informed about the international community’s requests regarding Kosovo after Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) acting leader Aleksandar Vucic's visit to Washington. “We now need to concentrate on finding an internal consensus and planning our further activities in that respect,” he stressed. When asked whether it was realistic to expect that Serbia will get a date for the beginning of the EU accession talks by the end of the year, Djuric said that the efforts should be directed toward the goal. “We need to make an effort in order to get a date for the beginning of the negotiations. I would not speculate on the dates right now, but we need to act like we need to achieve it tomorrow,” he pointed out. Djuric added that the new Serbian government would lead a balanced foreign policy that would be nationally responsible and open for cooperation with all the countries in the world. “When it comes to achieving our national interests, it is the most important to give a full contribution to our country’s EU membership but at the same time to establish fruitful cooperation with all important factors in the international community. The job requires involvement of all state institutions and I am convinced that the new government will not spare its energy in order to have better results than in the previous period,” he said. According to Djuric, the new state leadership wants to send a clear message that it is focused on “raising the country’s credibility in the international community”. Marko Djuric (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Belgrade-Priština issues “to be resolved through dialogue”

“We want the future administration to have results as tangible as possible when it comes to the EU integration and progress in the talks between Belgrade and Priština,” Đurić told Tanjug.

He stressed that before those goals could be achieved, the widest possible consensus on the Kosovo strategy needed to be reached.

According to him, the consensus would determine the format of the dialogue, UN’s participation, with whom the Serbian authorities would be willing to talks to.

“It is very important to us to reach a consensus on the format of the political dialogue between Belgrade and Priština. It is important to us that all important social factors take part in the process and that the outcome of the process is a solution that will be acceptable from the aspect of our state and national interests,” he explained.

Đurić said that it was only certain that the dialogue would be taken to a political level.

He noted that the consensus should allow Serbia to achieve its interests.

“Those are primarily survival of our population, survival of our state territory, preservation of our interests that are guaranteed by the Constitution and the entire state leadership is committed to it,” the president’s advisor said.

He added that the new government would work in implementing the agreements that had been reached in Brussels.

When asked how the disputable agreements, such as the one on Priština’s representation, would be implemented, he said that the political consensus envisaged agreement on all important issues regarding the technical and political negotiations.

Đurić said that Serbia had become much better informed about the international community’s requests regarding Kosovo after Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) acting leader Aleksandar Vučić's visit to Washington.

“We now need to concentrate on finding an internal consensus and planning our further activities in that respect,” he stressed.

When asked whether it was realistic to expect that Serbia will get a date for the beginning of the EU accession talks by the end of the year, Đurić said that the efforts should be directed toward the goal.

“We need to make an effort in order to get a date for the beginning of the negotiations. I would not speculate on the dates right now, but we need to act like we need to achieve it tomorrow,” he pointed out.

Đurić added that the new Serbian government would lead a balanced foreign policy that would be nationally responsible and open for cooperation with all the countries in the world.

“When it comes to achieving our national interests, it is the most important to give a full contribution to our country’s EU membership but at the same time to establish fruitful cooperation with all important factors in the international community. The job requires involvement of all state institutions and I am convinced that the new government will not spare its energy in order to have better results than in the previous period,” he said.

According to Đurić, the new state leadership wants to send a clear message that it is focused on “raising the country’s credibility in the international community”.