Serbia "ready for continued Kosovo dialogue"

BELGRADE Aleksandar Vulin says the talks about Kosovo and Metohija will be technical rather than political, and that they would focus on energy and telecommunications. The head of the Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija told the Belgrade-based television outlet Pink that the government was "against all forms of violence in the province, and ready for talks about Kosovo and Metohija". Serbia "ready for continued Kosovo dialogue" He also stressed that "the other side" was being awaited in order for the talks, which he described as "a two-way street", to kick off. Vulin asserted that this government, unlike the previous one, maintained good communication with Serbs in Kosovo, and was regularly harmonizing issues with them. "There will be neither negotiations nor a platform if Serbs from Kosovo do not say what they think about it," he was quoted as saying. Vulin noted that he was in Kosovo and Metohija yesterday, and that the conditions under which Serbs lived were "hellishly difficult". He explained that the problems faced by them were not related only to the economy, but that the essence of the difficulties in the province was the violence, while the biggest problem was security. According to the Kosovo Office chief, Serbia is trying to solve economic problems and those related to documents, school children, their transport to school, and electricity supply in northern Kosovo during the upcoming winter. Vulin also said that there was no illegal and legal crossing in the area of Kosovo and Metohija - "there is our province that is temporarily under the administration of the international community, according to (UNSC) Resolution 1244". He also said that VAT duty was abolished in Kosovo based on a decision of the government rather than Serbs in Kosovo, who have sought its reintroduction, and wish to pay customs, taxes and electricity, but also "to be in their country", and himself spoke in favor of reintroduction of VAT. Vulin added that the so-called Kosovo bonus was being regularly paid to all persons employed in public companies in Kosovo and Metohija, but that the area "needs reform". "The Kosovo bonus should be paid not only to those who work in those institutions, but to everyone who lives in Kosovo and Metohija," this government official asserted. Aleksandar Vulin (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Serbia "ready for continued Kosovo dialogue"

He also stressed that "the other side" was being awaited in order for the talks, which he described as "a two-way street", to kick off.

Vulin asserted that this government, unlike the previous one, maintained good communication with Serbs in Kosovo, and was regularly harmonizing issues with them.

"There will be neither negotiations nor a platform if Serbs from Kosovo do not say what they think about it," he was quoted as saying.

Vulin noted that he was in Kosovo and Metohija yesterday, and that the conditions under which Serbs lived were "hellishly difficult". He explained that the problems faced by them were not related only to the economy, but that the essence of the difficulties in the province was the violence, while the biggest problem was security.

According to the Kosovo Office chief, Serbia is trying to solve economic problems and those related to documents, school children, their transport to school, and electricity supply in northern Kosovo during the upcoming winter.

Vulin also said that there was no illegal and legal crossing in the area of Kosovo and Metohija - "there is our province that is temporarily under the administration of the international community, according to (UNSC) Resolution 1244".

He also said that VAT duty was abolished in Kosovo based on a decision of the government rather than Serbs in Kosovo, who have sought its reintroduction, and wish to pay customs, taxes and electricity, but also "to be in their country", and himself spoke in favor of reintroduction of VAT.

Vulin added that the so-called Kosovo bonus was being regularly paid to all persons employed in public companies in Kosovo and Metohija, but that the area "needs reform".

"The Kosovo bonus should be paid not only to those who work in those institutions, but to everyone who lives in Kosovo and Metohija," this government official asserted.