"Discussion on Kosovo platform to continue next week"

BELGRADE Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic announced Saturday that the discussion on the platform for Kosovo would continue next week. The PM noted that the public would be informed about details of the platform once it has been harmonized. "Discussion on Kosovo platform to continue next week" He added that talks with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and representatives of interim institutions in Pristina would take place in November. He also stated that the meeting of state leaders on the platform for the first time tabled a discussion about the real situation in the country, since Serbia had to know what it wanted and not only what it did not want. "We cannot start the talks if the first line of defense is at the same time the last," Dacic told the press at the celebration of patron saint's day of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). He also said that the platform should comprise a description of Serbia's current position, proposal of the solution for the final status of Kosovo, but also the stance on the forthcoming dialogue which is not related to the province's status. "I have refused a secret meeting with (Kosovo Prime Minister) Hashim Thaci and Catherine Ashton," said Dacic, who met with them in Brussels on October 19, where they agreed to continue talks under EU mediation. The prime minister stated that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ashton would be acquainted with the platform only after talks between Belgrade and Pristina were held and stressed that "all talks should be followed by concrete, positive results when it comes to EU integration." Speaking about the request for normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, the PM said that visible progress should be made but also pointed out that this "in no way implies a change in Serbia's stance on the recognition of Kosovo's independence." He once again stressed that Serbia would not give up on its position not to recognize the independence of Kosovo, adding that the talks that would be conducted should be status neutral. Ivica Dacic (Tanjug, file) Beta Tanjug

"Discussion on Kosovo platform to continue next week"

He added that talks with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and representatives of interim institutions in Priština would take place in November.

He also stated that the meeting of state leaders on the platform for the first time tabled a discussion about the real situation in the country, since Serbia had to know what it wanted and not only what it did not want.

"We cannot start the talks if the first line of defense is at the same time the last," Dačić told the press at the celebration of patron saint's day of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

He also said that the platform should comprise a description of Serbia's current position, proposal of the solution for the final status of Kosovo, but also the stance on the forthcoming dialogue which is not related to the province's status.

"I have refused a secret meeting with (Kosovo Prime Minister) Hashim Thaci and Catherine Ashton," said Dačić, who met with them in Brussels on October 19, where they agreed to continue talks under EU mediation.

The prime minister stated that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ashton would be acquainted with the platform only after talks between Belgrade and Priština were held and stressed that "all talks should be followed by concrete, positive results when it comes to EU integration."

Speaking about the request for normalization of Belgrade-Priština relations, the PM said that visible progress should be made but also pointed out that this "in no way implies a change in Serbia's stance on the recognition of Kosovo's independence."

He once again stressed that Serbia would not give up on its position not to recognize the independence of Kosovo, adding that the talks that would be conducted should be status neutral.