"Removal of barricades counterproductive"

Deputy PM and Minister of Interior Ivica Dacic says KFOR's announced move to remov barricades in northern Kosovo would be counterproductive. This is because the situation on the ground is heading towards a compromise, he told reporters in the town of Arilje, western Serbia, late on Sunday. "Removal of barricades counterproductive" Dacic said the talks should be continued, because it is much better to reach an agreement this way than by use of force, and added that it would be hypocritical to tell the people on the barricades what to do. He said that Serbs in Kosovo should be sending certain messages to Belgrade and not vice versa, and noted that being in Belgrade is easy, but being at the barricades and living in the province is difficult. The situation in north Kosovo, in view of talks and agreement, is heading towards easing of tension and searching of a compromise solution, which is why the use of force would be completely counterproductive, he said. Dacic also stated that the removal of the obstacles is just a singular act which should not be the center of everything occurring in north Kosovo and Metohija. He evaluated that it does not suit KFOR that the situation be complicated since conditions and environment they work in are very important for them, especially given that cold weather is coming as well as the problems with supplying. Kosovo Serbs are protesting at the barricades against unilateral decisions of Kosovo authorities, said Dacic, and added that a possibility for agreement should be sought between those two facts. KFOR Commander Major General Erhard Drews delayed the movement of convoys for supplying KFOR soldiers at the administrative crossings for Tuesday, in order to give the citizens more time to remove the obstacles. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug)

"Removal of barricades counterproductive"

Dačić said the talks should be continued, because it is much better to reach an agreement this way than by use of force, and added that it would be hypocritical to tell the people on the barricades what to do.

He said that Serbs in Kosovo should be sending certain messages to Belgrade and not vice versa, and noted that being in Belgrade is easy, but being at the barricades and living in the province is difficult.

The situation in north Kosovo, in view of talks and agreement, is heading towards easing of tension and searching of a compromise solution, which is why the use of force would be completely counterproductive, he said.

Dačić also stated that the removal of the obstacles is just a singular act which should not be the center of everything occurring in north Kosovo and Metohija.

He evaluated that it does not suit KFOR that the situation be complicated since conditions and environment they work in are very important for them, especially given that cold weather is coming as well as the problems with supplying.

Kosovo Serbs are protesting at the barricades against unilateral decisions of Kosovo authorities, said Dačić, and added that a possibility for agreement should be sought between those two facts.

KFOR Commander Major General Erhard Drews delayed the movement of convoys for supplying KFOR soldiers at the administrative crossings for Tuesday, in order to give the citizens more time to remove the obstacles.