Skopje, Priština discuss borders

BELGRADE -- Talks have begun in Priština on demarcation of Kosovo’s borders.

The discussions were held under the auspices of the international civil office, which is headed by EU envoy Pieter Feith.

The meeting was held behind closed doors. After the meeting, it was stated that a work group would be formed to define a system for the demarcation of the border between Macedonia and Kosovo.

The border agreement between Kosovo and Macedonia is one of the most sensitive questions between Priština and Skopje.

The area includes 2000 hectares around the village of Debelde in the municipality of Vitina that was left on Macedonia’s side after the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

This question was resolved with an agreement between Serbia and Macedonia in 2001, with Macedonia retaining sovereignty over the territory in question.

The Kosovo Albanians have never recognized the agreement, stating that Serbia was not authorized to handle territorial issues in Kosovo while it was a protectorate of the United Nations.

Despite the existence of the agreement between Belgrade and Skopje, Macedonia has decided to activate the matter again with Priština, which could be the first step to Macedonia recognizing Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence.

According to the Ahtisaari plan, the demarcation of the Macedonia-Kosovo border must be implemented in accordance with the plan for Kosovo’s internationally-supervised independence.