“IBM agreement to be implemented in two weeks”

BELGRADE Belgrade team head Dejan Pavicevic said Wednesday that the implementation of the Integrated Border Management (IBM) agreement would begin in about two weeks. The agreement, reached previously in the EU-sponsored Kosovo dialogue, pertains to administrative line crossings between Kosovo and central Serbia. “IBM agreement to be implemented in two weeks” Pavicevic explained the implementation of the agreement would begin with the formation of implementation groups in Brussels and noted that Serbia would demand that the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, have an executive role at the crossings. “Implementation groups will be formed at several levels and I will travel to Brussels with experts from various ministries, institutions and organizations,” he told Tanjug. "The first meeting should take place in Brussels is two weeks' time and the first implementation group will be formed then," said Pavicevic. He said that after the meetings, he would send a detailed report to the government along with a motion to form an internal working group consisting of experts from various ministries, institutions and organizations. "We will prepare a platform on how to move forward and what stance we will take in the implementation groups. After these initial meetings of the implementation group, separate groups will be formed whose work will be divided into different stages and areas, and which will discuss issues closely related to police, customs, and plant health control procedures," explained Pavicevic.. He said the teams would not consent to any agreement before coming back to Belgrade and acquainting the government with its content, or before getting the government's permission to sign an annex to the technical agreement or a special protocol on, for instance, the work of police services. "We will go into minute technical details which will even cover things like shifts of police and customs officers... But even in these minute technical issues, we will ask the government's approval," the negotiator noted. Asked how much the groups could contribute to the dialogue, Pavicevic said the negotiating team would go to Brussels with a clear technical platform and knowledge of what Serbia wanted to achieve in the dialogue. He noted that the negotiating team would clearly draw "the red line, or the things it cannot accept." "We cannot and must not go outside of the boundaries which will be defined by the government and the future working group," he said. Asked what role EULEX would play, Pavicevic said that as its role was not defined in the agreement, Serbia would demand that it perform all customs procedures. The goal, he said, is to make sure EULEX has an executive role. The team chief said that under the agreement, EULEX should be present at all administrative crossings, but that this now needed to be clearly defined. "Especially when it comes to the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings," he said. Asked when the dialogue might resume, Pavicevic said things would be much clearer after Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic returned from New York. Dejan Pavicevic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

“IBM agreement to be implemented in two weeks”

Pavićević explained the implementation of the agreement would begin with the formation of implementation groups in Brussels and noted that Serbia would demand that the EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, have an executive role at the crossings.

“Implementation groups will be formed at several levels and I will travel to Brussels with experts from various ministries, institutions and organizations,” he told Tanjug.

"The first meeting should take place in Brussels is two weeks' time and the first implementation group will be formed then," said Pavićević.

He said that after the meetings, he would send a detailed report to the government along with a motion to form an internal working group consisting of experts from various ministries, institutions and organizations.

"We will prepare a platform on how to move forward and what stance we will take in the implementation groups. After these initial meetings of the implementation group, separate groups will be formed whose work will be divided into different stages and areas, and which will discuss issues closely related to police, customs, and plant health control procedures," explained Pavićević..

He said the teams would not consent to any agreement before coming back to Belgrade and acquainting the government with its content, or before getting the government's permission to sign an annex to the technical agreement or a special protocol on, for instance, the work of police services.

"We will go into minute technical details which will even cover things like shifts of police and customs officers... But even in these minute technical issues, we will ask the government's approval," the negotiator noted.

Asked how much the groups could contribute to the dialogue, Pavićević said the negotiating team would go to Brussels with a clear technical platform and knowledge of what Serbia wanted to achieve in the dialogue.

He noted that the negotiating team would clearly draw "the red line, or the things it cannot accept."

"We cannot and must not go outside of the boundaries which will be defined by the government and the future working group," he said.

Asked what role EULEX would play, Pavićević said that as its role was not defined in the agreement, Serbia would demand that it perform all customs procedures.

The goal, he said, is to make sure EULEX has an executive role.

The team chief said that under the agreement, EULEX should be present at all administrative crossings, but that this now needed to be clearly defined.

"Especially when it comes to the Jarinje and Brnjak administrative crossings," he said.

Asked when the dialogue might resume, Pavićević said things would be much clearer after Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić returned from New York.