"Unacceptable paper was offered to Serbia"

The Serbian government met on Thursday in Belgrade and announced that it was united in its position that the dialogue with Pristina should be continued. At the same time, First Deputy PM and leader of the ruling SNS party Aleksandar Vucic was quoted as saying that "a suggestion on Kosovo offered in Brussels" was unacceptable for Serbia. "Unacceptable paper was offered to Serbia" Addressing the cabinet, Vucic said today that a paper was tabled during the 7th round of the Kosovo dialogue held on Wednesday, and that this proposal "did not give Serbia even a one percent chance to accept it". This is according to a Tanjug news agency report, which is quoting its government sources. "All of you, cabinet members, are aware that we are - and to what extent we are dedicated to getting a date (for the start of EU membership talks) and to EU integrations. I will read to you a part of the proposal we received and the only thing I can say is that, unfortunately, nobody except us was prepared to make any concessions or compromises, which gave us absolutely no chance to accept what had been offered," Vucic was quoted as saying. The first deputy prime minister also said that Serbia was "not giving up on its European road", Tanjug reported. "I hope we will be able to reach an agreement with Pristina, but we cannot face our people empty handed. Besides, none of us were born into politics, and I personally certainly will not die in it. I do not have to do this job, but I want you to know they did not give us even a one percent chance to accept the paper," Vucic, who today presided over the cabinet session in the absence of PM Ivica Dacic, also stated. Dacic is in New York this Thursday where he will attend a UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo. The official statement issued after the government met today said only that "a just solution to the problem in Kosovo and Metohija can secure lasting stability in the whole region", and added that the government was united in its stance that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should be continued in a constructive atmosphere and without pressure, in order to find solutions that will secure the survival and secure life of Serbs in the southern province and open up European perspectives for Serbia. It has also been announced that it was "the interest of the government of Serbia" to reach a solution that will secure dignified life and prosperity for all citizens. The latest round of the ongoing, EU-mediated Kosovo dialogue was held in Brussels on Wednesday, after which Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci held their first joint news conference to tell reporters that no agreement had been reached, but that "progress had been made". Aleksandar Vucic (Tanjug) B92 Beta Blic Tanjug

"Unacceptable paper was offered to Serbia"

Addressing the cabinet, Vučić said today that a paper was tabled during the 7th round of the Kosovo dialogue held on Wednesday, and that this proposal "did not give Serbia even a one percent chance to accept it".

This is according to a Tanjug news agency report, which is quoting its government sources.

"All of you, cabinet members, are aware that we are - and to what extent we are dedicated to getting a date (for the start of EU membership talks) and to EU integrations. I will read to you a part of the proposal we received and the only thing I can say is that, unfortunately, nobody except us was prepared to make any concessions or compromises, which gave us absolutely no chance to accept what had been offered," Vučić was quoted as saying.

The first deputy prime minister also said that Serbia was "not giving up on its European road", Tanjug reported.

"I hope we will be able to reach an agreement with Priština, but we cannot face our people empty handed. Besides, none of us were born into politics, and I personally certainly will not die in it. I do not have to do this job, but I want you to know they did not give us even a one percent chance to accept the paper," Vučić, who today presided over the cabinet session in the absence of PM Ivica Dačić, also stated.

Dačić is in New York this Thursday where he will attend a UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo.

The official statement issued after the government met today said only that "a just solution to the problem in Kosovo and Metohija can secure lasting stability in the whole region", and added that the government was united in its stance that the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština should be continued in a constructive atmosphere and without pressure, in order to find solutions that will secure the survival and secure life of Serbs in the southern province and open up European perspectives for Serbia.

It has also been announced that it was "the interest of the government of Serbia" to reach a solution that will secure dignified life and prosperity for all citizens.

The latest round of the ongoing, EU-mediated Kosovo dialogue was held in Brussels on Wednesday, after which Ivica Dačić and Hashim Thaci held their first joint news conference to tell reporters that no agreement had been reached, but that "progress had been made".