"Kosovo not condition for EU accession talks date"

Belgrade negotiator in the Kosovo dialogue Borislav Stefanovic says the start of Serbia's EU accession talks "is not conditioned by the issue of Kosovo". Serbia is expected to on Thursday be made candidate for EU membership, but the country will not at the same time be given a date for the start of accession talks. "Kosovo not condition for EU accession talks date" Addressing reporters today before the start of a conference in the town of Novi Sad, dedicated to the Western Balkans "between a crisis and a European perspective”, Stefanovic reiterated that the issue of Kosovo’s status was clearly defined by the Serbian Constitution. Nobody will seek to change our state and national positions, nor would we accept it, Stefanovic said. He added, however, that the issue of determining the date for beginning negotiations with the EU regards other things that are definitely related to Kosovo. He said that the problems that will have to be dealt with are only not linked to the implementation of reforms which were highly graded and green lighted by EU organs, but also to resolving concrete problems of everyday lives of people in the province. The approval of Serbia's candidate status will be an extremely important step in the EU integration process, while the beginning of negotiation talks will represent the final confirmation of Serbia's EU entry, Stefanovic added. This is a very important step for which we waiting, and the start of negotiations for membership in the EU is something that definitely confirms that the country will join the EU in the future, said Stefanovic He voiced his hope that the date of the negotiations will also be determined this year, adding that Serbia will be fully capable of responding to these administrative, technical and political challenges. Stefanovic reiterated that agreements reached in dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina do not predict the province’s status, adding that the line between Kosovo and Serbia will be administrative, without any characteristics of a state border, but with certain control which has to be in place. By UNMIK’s decision, which was affirmed by the UN Security Council, Kosovo is a special customs territory, therefore there can be no customs control there, he said. Stefanovic noted the importance of opening two crossing points in the north of Kosovo which were blocked, adding that Serbia will keep working on that. The gathering in Novi Sad on Thursday (Beta) Tanjug

"Kosovo not condition for EU accession talks date"

Addressing reporters today before the start of a conference in the town of Novi Sad, dedicated to the Western Balkans "between a crisis and a European perspective”, Stefanović reiterated that the issue of Kosovo’s status was clearly defined by the Serbian Constitution.

Nobody will seek to change our state and national positions, nor would we accept it, Stefanović said.

He added, however, that the issue of determining the date for beginning negotiations with the EU regards other things that are definitely related to Kosovo.

He said that the problems that will have to be dealt with are only not linked to the implementation of reforms which were highly graded and green lighted by EU organs, but also to resolving concrete problems of everyday lives of people in the province.

The approval of Serbia's candidate status will be an extremely important step in the EU integration process, while the beginning of negotiation talks will represent the final confirmation of Serbia's EU entry, Stefanović added.

This is a very important step for which we waiting, and the start of negotiations for membership in the EU is something that definitely confirms that the country will join the EU in the future, said Stefanović

He voiced his hope that the date of the negotiations will also be determined this year, adding that Serbia will be fully capable of responding to these administrative, technical and political challenges.

Stefanović reiterated that agreements reached in dialogue between Belgrade and Priština do not predict the province’s status, adding that the line between Kosovo and Serbia will be administrative, without any characteristics of a state border, but with certain control which has to be in place.

By UNMIK’s decision, which was affirmed by the UN Security Council, Kosovo is a special customs territory, therefore there can be no customs control there, he said.

Stefanović noted the importance of opening two crossing points in the north of Kosovo which were blocked, adding that Serbia will keep working on that.