"Priština urging EU not to make Serbia candidate"

The Pristina government blames Serbia for the failure of the Kosovo dialogue and is urging the EU not to allow the country to become a candidate for membership. This is contained in a letter sent from Pristina to all EU member states, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told B92 in Belgrade on Sunday. "Pristina urging EU not to make Serbia candidate" Meantime, Belgrade negotiator in the dialogue Borislav Stefanovic showed a copy of the letter while he was a guest at the state broadcaster RTS. The EU, which is set to decide on Serbia's bid at the end of the month, however, says they are "unaware of the letter". "It states that only limited progress had been made in the dialogue, and points out to a lack of essential dialogue in implementing agreements on all open issues," according to Dacic. The letter shows that the Pristina government sees the dialogue only as a chance to pressure Belgrade and that they do not wish to reach a compromise, said he, and added it should be "condemned by the Serbian government". "I think a letter of this kind is also a clear indicator that many things that are happening related to the candidate status are more political in nature than really about some criteria that Serbia should fulfill in order to become a candidate for EU membership," Dacic noted. Borislav Stefanovic described the move of Kosovo Albanian authorities as "very damaging," adding that "it seemed to him the letter at this time missed the target". "It proves they do not understand the EU and European integrations," he stated, and added that "we profoundly believe that Pristina is not the one to decide on European integrations and EU's enlargement. Brussels decides on that and I am certain that it will not look favorably at this truly empty move by Pristina to damage our candidature." There has been no confirmation from Pristina that the letter had been sent, while Brussels said they knew nothing about it. In the meantime, Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci said that the issue of the territory's representation in regional forums will be solved by "presenting Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, by mentioning its (unilateral) declaration of independence, the ICJ opinion, and UNSC Resolution 1422". But Borislav Stefanovic stated that Belgrade finds unacceptable any solution that mentions the UDI, made in February 2008. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug, file) B92 Tanjug

"Priština urging EU not to make Serbia candidate"

Meantime, Belgrade negotiator in the dialogue Borislav Stefanović showed a copy of the letter while he was a guest at the state broadcaster RTS. The EU, which is set to decide on Serbia's bid at the end of the month, however, says they are "unaware of the letter".

"It states that only limited progress had been made in the dialogue, and points out to a lack of essential dialogue in implementing agreements on all open issues," according to Dačić.

The letter shows that the Priština government sees the dialogue only as a chance to pressure Belgrade and that they do not wish to reach a compromise, said he, and added it should be "condemned by the Serbian government".

"I think a letter of this kind is also a clear indicator that many things that are happening related to the candidate status are more political in nature than really about some criteria that Serbia should fulfill in order to become a candidate for EU membership," Dačić noted.

Borislav Stefanović described the move of Kosovo Albanian authorities as "very damaging," adding that "it seemed to him the letter at this time missed the target".

"It proves they do not understand the EU and European integrations," he stated, and added that "we profoundly believe that Priština is not the one to decide on European integrations and EU's enlargement. Brussels decides on that and I am certain that it will not look favorably at this truly empty move by Priština to damage our candidature."

There has been no confirmation from Priština that the letter had been sent, while Brussels said they knew nothing about it.

In the meantime, Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci said that the issue of the territory's representation in regional forums will be solved by "presenting Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, by mentioning its (unilateral) declaration of independence, the ICJ opinion, and UNSC Resolution 1422".

But Borislav Stefanović stated that Belgrade finds unacceptable any solution that mentions the UDI, made in February 2008.