Teams report "progress" in Kosovo meetings

BRUSSELS -- Belgrade and Priština negotiating team leaders Borislav Stefanović and Edita Tahiri said that some progress had been made at the second round of talks.

(FoNet)

They discussed land books and registries of births, deaths and marriages, but also power supply as they meet in Brussels on Monday.

"Certain progress has been achieved on land books, birth registries and electric energy supply; we laid out our proposal and hope that there will finally be a positive wrap-up of these topics at the next meeting," Stefanović told journalists after the two delegations concluded their several hours' deliberation.

Stefanović confirmed a statement given earlier by Tahiri that there was a rough agreement for copies of land registries and the books on births, marriages and deaths to be sent to Kosovo from Serbia.

Tahiri said there had been strides on the topics of energy and telecommunications, but that further discussion was necessary.

Stefanović said the Serbian team had perhaps expected greater understanding from the other side on reconciling positions on some issues, such as Kosovo customs stamps and telecommunications, but remarked that this was not to say that "we won't reach an agreement at one of the next meetings."

The negotiators were welcomed by European High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.