Kosovo talks by year's end, says minister

Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanovic says that serious Kosovo negotiations can be expected after the elections in the province. The voting will take place on December 12, and Bogdanovic told Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti that talks between Belgrade and Pristina "could take place as soon as on December 18". Kosovo talks by year's end, says minister "Belgrade has adopted its platform for the talks. It's important that the Belgrade team will have people who know the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and who are experts in the fields that will be discussed. The minister also told the newspaper that "all subjects, including the status (of Kosovo) will be included in the talks". Contrary to their original statements, representatives of the outgoing Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina have confirmed in the last few days that they are "ready" for the talks, and that "Kosovo's constitution and the Ahtisaari plan" will be their platform. Goran Bogdanovic (Tanjug, file) Platform when talks conditions ready As for Serbia's platform, Kosovo Ministry Secretary of State Oliver Ivanovic was quoted as saying on Sunday that the Serbian government "will develop a platform the moment conditions for talks have been created". "It is unthinkable to have anyone in Serbia start, under any conditions, from anything else but the Constitution which reads that Kosovo and Metohija is an integral part of Serbia, and nothing can be changed there,” said he. “But, there is a lot that is not directly linked to the Serbian Constitution and the status of Kosovo. The talks should start with easier topics. We shall come to the sensitive issue at one point anyway,” Ivanovic told Radio Free Europe. He said that all topics were open and that all topics will be discussed, underscoring that “serious topics should be left for the end. The end is not that close, because they will last long - perhaps, five six or ten years.” “At the end, we will reach some kind of an agreement that will not violate the Constitution of Serbia and which will also be acceptable for the Kosovo Albanians. It is impossible for one side to get everything, which is the situation we have now. It is not sustainable in the long run,” said Ivanovic.

Kosovo talks by year's end, says minister

"Belgrade has adopted its platform for the talks. It's important that the Belgrade team will have people who know the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and who are experts in the fields that will be discussed.

The minister also told the newspaper that "all subjects, including the status (of Kosovo) will be included in the talks".

Contrary to their original statements, representatives of the outgoing Kosovo Albanian government in Priština have confirmed in the last few days that they are "ready" for the talks, and that "Kosovo's constitution and the Ahtisaari plan" will be their platform.

Platform when talks conditions ready

As for Serbia's platform, Kosovo Ministry Secretary of State Oliver Ivanović was quoted as saying on Sunday that the Serbian government "will develop a platform the moment conditions for talks have been created".

"It is unthinkable to have anyone in Serbia start, under any conditions, from anything else but the Constitution which reads that Kosovo and Metohija is an integral part of Serbia, and nothing can be changed there,” said he.

“But, there is a lot that is not directly linked to the Serbian Constitution and the status of Kosovo. The talks should start with easier topics. We shall come to the sensitive issue at one point anyway,” Ivanović told Radio Free Europe.

He said that all topics were open and that all topics will be discussed, underscoring that “serious topics should be left for the end. The end is not that close, because they will last long - perhaps, five six or ten years.”

“At the end, we will reach some kind of an agreement that will not violate the Constitution of Serbia and which will also be acceptable for the Kosovo Albanians. It is impossible for one side to get everything, which is the situation we have now. It is not sustainable in the long run,” said Ivanović.