Technical Kosovo dialogue continues in Brussels

BRUSSELS The EU-sponsored, technical dialogue on Kosovo between Belgrade and Pristina is resuming on Tuesday in Brussels. According to announcements from the EU, the northern, Serb-dominated part of Kosovo "remains the main topic". That the reason for this is that "there are most problems there". Technical Kosovo dialogue continues in Brussels EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said ahead of the meeting today that it would be "more difficult than the previous one". The two side's working groups will resume their work ahead of the new meeting on Thursday between Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci. "Everything that has been talked about since the change of government in Belgrade was related to the implementation of the already reaches agreements, which means that half the job had already been done, but now we expect new issues to be open," Kocijancic stated, without giving any more details. She also told the media that the European Commission expects "both sides to remain committed to the dialogue", after the Serbian parliament adopted its resolution on Kosovo over the weekend. Meanwhile, Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor and Deputy Director of the Government Office for Kosovo Krstimir Pantic told B92 that the meeting will concern joint control of the administrative line. According to Pantic, "any solution is possible". He at the same time noted that he "expected the EU to also exert additional pressure on Pristina to start making compromises", since so far this has been something "that only the Serb side was ready to do". Hashim Thaci, who heads the government in Pristina, was quoted as saying on Monday that he would "not allow" the Serbian parliament's resolution to be put on the negotiating table in Brussels. Suzana Grubjesic, deputy PM in charge of EU integration, said at the same time that the resolution was "not jeopardizing, but encouraging" the dialogue, and added that she expected the dialogue to yield enough progress for Serbia to be given a date for the start of EU membership talks in June. (Beta/AP, file) B92 Tanjug

Technical Kosovo dialogue continues in Brussels

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's spokesperson Maja Kocijančič said ahead of the meeting today that it would be "more difficult than the previous one".

The two side's working groups will resume their work ahead of the new meeting on Thursday between Ivica Dačić and Hashim Thaci.

"Everything that has been talked about since the change of government in Belgrade was related to the implementation of the already reaches agreements, which means that half the job had already been done, but now we expect new issues to be open," Kocijančič stated, without giving any more details.

She also told the media that the European Commission expects "both sides to remain committed to the dialogue", after the Serbian parliament adopted its resolution on Kosovo over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor and Deputy Director of the Government Office for Kosovo Krstimir Pantić told B92 that the meeting will concern joint control of the administrative line.

According to Pantić, "any solution is possible". He at the same time noted that he "expected the EU to also exert additional pressure on Priština to start making compromises", since so far this has been something "that only the Serb side was ready to do".

Hashim Thaci, who heads the government in Priština, was quoted as saying on Monday that he would "not allow" the Serbian parliament's resolution to be put on the negotiating table in Brussels.

Suzana Grubješić, deputy PM in charge of EU integration, said at the same time that the resolution was "not jeopardizing, but encouraging" the dialogue, and added that she expected the dialogue to yield enough progress for Serbia to be given a date for the start of EU membership talks in June.