Second phase of dialogue to be “more complicated”

The second phase in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue will come after forming of a new Serbian government, says Belgrade’s lead negotiator Borislav Stefanovic. He added that it would bring the most complicated topics to the negotiating table. Second phase of dialogue to be “more complicated” The Belgrade team chief pointed out the topics would range from the issues of energy and telecommunications to the Serbian president's plan on a way to resolve the Kosovo issue, adding that the new phase of talks would hold great weight when it came to getting a date for the start of negotiations on EU membership. “The first phase of the dialogue was completed with achieving seven agreements governing important areas related to daily life of citizens,” he added on the eve of a day to mark one year since the beginning of the talks. Stefanovic told Tanjug said he was satisfied with what had been achieved, adding that he believed that to sit down at the negotiating table with Pristina was a wise decision, despite the huge and essential differences between the two sides. “It is certain that although a number of painful issues have already been raised and resolved in the marathon rounds of talks that we had, the one who will continue the negotiations will have to face up to the most complicated phase of the dialogue,” he pointed out. “They will have to face up to the possibility of the dialogue growing into a political one that will finally put the relations between Belgrade and Pristina in line with respect for the national interests, the Constitution and laws of Serbia, noted Stefanovic. “Over the year behind us, we have reached seven important agreements and I think that we have showed that the problems in Kosovo can be resolved by agreement, through the negotiating process, while keeping to our position on the status of Kosovo, which for us is not and never will be an independent state,” he said and added: “This is definitely the end of a cycle. We are entering an election campaign, and after the elections, the new government will have to see in what direction and in what form the dialogue will continue. I expect the talks to continue in a form that will touch on the issues of telecommunications and electric power, and certainly on issues we hold very important, such as the return of those expelled from Kosovo-Metohija to their homes, the return of property and missing persons.” “These are issues of great significance to us and we will seek every opportunity to discuss them,” the team head stressed. They are part of the four-point plan by President Boris Tadic, which, according to Stefanovic, arrived at the right moment. “The initiative precisely located the unresolved issues in the system. The biggest problems lie in these four areas and it will be important for the future government to enter into that process after the elections. Finding a way how and in what form to do that will rest with the future government itself,” Stefanovic explained. Borislav Stefanovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Second phase of dialogue to be “more complicated”

The Belgrade team chief pointed out the topics would range from the issues of energy and telecommunications to the Serbian president's plan on a way to resolve the Kosovo issue, adding that the new phase of talks would hold great weight when it came to getting a date for the start of negotiations on EU membership.

“The first phase of the dialogue was completed with achieving seven agreements governing important areas related to daily life of citizens,” he added on the eve of a day to mark one year since the beginning of the talks.

Stefanović told Tanjug said he was satisfied with what had been achieved, adding that he believed that to sit down at the negotiating table with Priština was a wise decision, despite the huge and essential differences between the two sides.

“It is certain that although a number of painful issues have already been raised and resolved in the marathon rounds of talks that we had, the one who will continue the negotiations will have to face up to the most complicated phase of the dialogue,” he pointed out.

“They will have to face up to the possibility of the dialogue growing into a political one that will finally put the relations between Belgrade and Priština in line with respect for the national interests, the Constitution and laws of Serbia, noted Stefanović.

“Over the year behind us, we have reached seven important agreements and I think that we have showed that the problems in Kosovo can be resolved by agreement, through the negotiating process, while keeping to our position on the status of Kosovo, which for us is not and never will be an independent state,” he said and added:

“This is definitely the end of a cycle. We are entering an election campaign, and after the elections, the new government will have to see in what direction and in what form the dialogue will continue. I expect the talks to continue in a form that will touch on the issues of telecommunications and electric power, and certainly on issues we hold very important, such as the return of those expelled from Kosovo-Metohija to their homes, the return of property and missing persons.”

“These are issues of great significance to us and we will seek every opportunity to discuss them,” the team head stressed.

They are part of the four-point plan by President Boris Tadić, which, according to Stefanović, arrived at the right moment.

“The initiative precisely located the unresolved issues in the system. The biggest problems lie in these four areas and it will be important for the future government to enter into that process after the elections. Finding a way how and in what form to do that will rest with the future government itself,” Stefanović explained.