Priština: No invitation to talks

Neither Pristina nor Belgrade have so far been invited to engage in technical negotiations over the six-point plan, a Kosovo Albanian government official says. Hajredin Kuqi, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's deputy, told B92 in Pristina that the international community still has not come up with a formula for this process. Pristina: No invitation to talks Kosovo Albanian institutions are saying that they will only accept to talk to Belgrade "if Serbia accepts Kosovo as an equal interlocutor", according to him. Belgrade and Pristina, Kuqi believes, cannot find agreement on the technical issues by themselves, and therefore advocates U.S. and EU mediation. As for the UN mission in the province, UNMIK, this officials says it has been "successful for some things", but that "Kosovo is an independent state and we can cooperate on another level, UNMIK is finished". The Albanian language press in Pristina cites international sources and writes that new talks in the format used last year to negotiate the six-point plan will not repeat. Kuqi agrees, and says that "compromise over sovereignty, territorial integrity and political status of Kosovo" is impossible, but that it could be reached "in the sense that we could give more for the Serbs who live in Kosovo", and adds that more compromise could be reached over "how to have cooperation as an independent state". He also added that Belgrade and Pristina "have a common goal, and that is EU integrations". "But, if Belgrade wants Brussels, and I think it does, and if we want peace, stability in the region, I think we should cooperate. We know our past, but we want a different future. Kosovo is open, but if Belgrade has the same opinion for Kosovo as Milosevic and others did, then that is out of the question," said Kuqi. This Kosovo Albanian official concluded that while Belgrade had changed its rhetoric and position toward the EU, "it held on to positions toward Kosovo as they were in the 1980s or 1990s". Meanwhile, also in Pristina, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko says that the issues that the two sides should talk about were mentioned in UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's report on Kosovo in November last year. "There is need to talk about these questions," he said, specifying that there could be a role for UNMIK and EULEX is solving the open issues. Ivanko said that UNMIK favors direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, but that, since this is not the case at this point, UNMIK and the EU can help. "Whatever happens in this area, will need to have agreement from Pristina and Belgrade, especially from the government here in Kosovo. Whatever talks take place, they must be led with Pristina's acceptance," the spokesman stated. The EU mission, EULEX, also sent signals that it supports a dialogue. EU representative Pieter Feith said earlier this week that he is ready to assist the Kosovo government, if it chooses to talk to Belgrade.

Priština: No invitation to talks

Kosovo Albanian institutions are saying that they will only accept to talk to Belgrade "if Serbia accepts Kosovo as an equal interlocutor", according to him.

Belgrade and Priština, Kuqi believes, cannot find agreement on the technical issues by themselves, and therefore advocates U.S. and EU mediation.

As for the UN mission in the province, UNMIK, this officials says it has been "successful for some things", but that "Kosovo is an independent state and we can cooperate on another level, UNMIK is finished".

The Albanian language press in Priština cites international sources and writes that new talks in the format used last year to negotiate the six-point plan will not repeat.

Kuqi agrees, and says that "compromise over sovereignty, territorial integrity and political status of Kosovo" is impossible, but that it could be reached "in the sense that we could give more for the Serbs who live in Kosovo", and adds that more compromise could be reached over "how to have cooperation as an independent state".

He also added that Belgrade and Priština "have a common goal, and that is EU integrations".

"But, if Belgrade wants Brussels, and I think it does, and if we want peace, stability in the region, I think we should cooperate. We know our past, but we want a different future. Kosovo is open, but if Belgrade has the same opinion for Kosovo as Milošević and others did, then that is out of the question," said Kuqi.

This Kosovo Albanian official concluded that while Belgrade had changed its rhetoric and position toward the EU, "it held on to positions toward Kosovo as they were in the 1980s or 1990s".

Meanwhile, also in Priština, UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko says that the issues that the two sides should talk about were mentioned in UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's report on Kosovo in November last year.

"There is need to talk about these questions," he said, specifying that there could be a role for UNMIK and EULEX is solving the open issues.

Ivanko said that UNMIK favors direct negotiations between Belgrade and Priština, but that, since this is not the case at this point, UNMIK and the EU can help.

"Whatever happens in this area, will need to have agreement from Priština and Belgrade, especially from the government here in Kosovo. Whatever talks take place, they must be led with Priština's acceptance," the spokesman stated.

The EU mission, EULEX, also sent signals that it supports a dialogue.

EU representative Pieter Feith said earlier this week that he is ready to assist the Kosovo government, if it chooses to talk to Belgrade.