Albanians could revise stance after Dec. 10 – Jeremić

Belgrade will in the next round of Kosovo talks present the details of its latest status initiative. "We will speak in depth about certain aspects of the Hong Kong model as an example of essential autonomy that can function. We will look at other models as well, such as the Oland Islands, which we mentioned earlier," Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said. Albanians could revise stance after Dec. 10 – Jeremic He added Belgrade was "not putting forward a new proposal, rather continuing with drawing functional parallels." The teams of Kosovo Albanians and Serbian government are set to once again meet in Brussels on November 20. President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica will led the Belgrade delegation, it was announced yesterday. Jeremic said Sunday that Belgrade is flexible, willing to talk about jurisdiction in Kosovo, but pointed out it is not ready to give up all of it. "That would be implicit or explicit recognition of independence. We will not do that," he said. But Jeremic was not willing to make any statement regarding announcements that the EU envoy to The Contact Group Troika Wolfgang Ischinger may suggest a neutral status for Kosovo in the next round of talks. "I don't think it's a good idea to make comments on a suggestion one is not acquainted with. There's not reason to jump the gun," Jeremic said, and added it was uncertain whether Ischinger will propose this idea at all, "given the differences within the Troika." Speaking about the negotiation's dynamic, Jeremic said another session was scheduled for November 26 in Vienna, which will, along with the one in Brussels, determine whether there will be more meetings by December 10. This is the deadline for the Troika to wrap up its role in the process and submit a report to the UN secretary-general. The chief of Serbian diplomacy was not optimistic about a negotiated settlement being reached over the province's future status by that date, saying the chances for that were "not too great." "It could be that the secret is that after December 10 Pristina's maximalist demands will not be met, and that it light of such development Kosovo Albanians may revise their position," Jeremic said.

Albanians could revise stance after Dec. 10 – Jeremić

He added Belgrade was "not putting forward a new proposal, rather continuing with drawing functional parallels."

The teams of Kosovo Albanians and Serbian government are set to once again meet in Brussels on November 20. President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica will led the Belgrade delegation, it was announced yesterday.

Jeremić said Sunday that Belgrade is flexible, willing to talk about jurisdiction in Kosovo, but pointed out it is not ready to give up all of it.

"That would be implicit or explicit recognition of independence. We will not do that," he said.

But Jeremić was not willing to make any statement regarding announcements that the EU envoy to The Contact Group Troika Wolfgang Ischinger may suggest a neutral status for Kosovo in the next round of talks.

"I don't think it's a good idea to make comments on a suggestion one is not acquainted with. There's not reason to jump the gun," Jeremić said, and added it was uncertain whether Ischinger will propose this idea at all, "given the differences within the Troika."

Speaking about the negotiation's dynamic, Jeremić said another session was scheduled for November 26 in Vienna, which will, along with the one in Brussels, determine whether there will be more meetings by December 10.

This is the deadline for the Troika to wrap up its role in the process and submit a report to the UN secretary-general.

The chief of Serbian diplomacy was not optimistic about a negotiated settlement being reached over the province's future status by that date, saying the chances for that were "not too great."

"It could be that the secret is that after December 10 Priština's maximalist demands will not be met, and that it light of such development Kosovo Albanians may revise their position," Jeremić said.