PM: Brussels meeting represents step forward

BRUSSELS Serbia’s Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has said that a step forward was made at a meeting with Catherine Ashton and Hashim Thaci in Brussels Wednesday. Dacic met with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci in Brussels on Wednesday night. PM: Brussels meeting represents step forward Ashton said that the talks were “open and honest” and that they agreed that the talks would continue. “Our open and honest talks this night focused on different ways of normalization of relations between the two sides and both prime ministers agreed to continue the talks,” reads Ashton’s release. “We agreed to continue our work on full implementation of all agreements and welcomed results of a joint working group on the integrated crossings management that took place on November 5-6,” she said in the statement. Ashton noted that they had discussed “transparency of funds Serbia provides to the Serbian community in Kosovo” and “how to improve protection of the Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo”. According to the release, both sides agreed on a joint technical working group that will prepare a feasibility study for the construction of the Nis-Pristina highway. The meeting ended around 23:00 on Wednesday. Dacic told B92 immediately after the meeting that a step forward was made at the meeting. He added that the meeting in fact represented a continuation of the talks held in Belgrade a couple of weeks ago with Ashton and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “The talks were status neutral, the topic of the talks was not any change to the Serbian Constitution regarding Kosovo’s independence, the topic was the finding of a modus for the implementation of things that have already been agreed. We also discussed the best possible way to help people in Kosovo and Metohija without touching the difficult status issue,” Dacic explained. “Of course, I said we were ready to talk about that as well. I said that we should not let our children go to war again, we should discuss all issues,” the Serbian PM stressed. He said that it was agreed at the meeting that no unilateral moved would be made. Dacic announced that the next meeting with Thaci would be held in the beginning of December, possibly before December 10 when the European Council should hold a session. According to him, they discussed the agreements that had already been reached, how to improve life in Kosovo and EULEX’ executive power in Kosovo. The Serbian PM said that it was agreed that the implementation of the agreement on administrative crossings would begin next months. He noted that there were no problems that cold slow the process down and that it was in Serbia’s interest to implement the agreements. Dacic said that Serbia wanted to make the financing of the Kosovo Serbs transparent. When asked if it meant that Serbia will abolish the so-called parallel institutions, the PM said that it was not one of the requests and that it was not discussed. “Serbia has nothing to hide. The international community and Kosovo Serbs want to know what Serbia is financing,” Dacic told B92. He said that Thaci had promised that a police unit of mainly Serbs would be formed and that its job would be to protect the Serbian churches and monasteries. According to the prime minister, the EU and Pristina were surprised by Serbia’s openness and readiness to discuss absolutely all issues and that they were unable to respond to Serbia’s proposals. “This was a good and useful meeting and I think that we made several steps forward,” he concluded. Thaci said that it was agreed that all agreements would be implemented and that Kosovo had insisted that the financing of the “parallel Serbian institutions in Kosovo” be transparent. Hashim Thaci, Catherine Ashton and Ivica Dacic (EU) B92 Beta Tanjug

PM: Brussels meeting represents step forward

Ashton said that the talks were “open and honest” and that they agreed that the talks would continue.

“Our open and honest talks this night focused on different ways of normalization of relations between the two sides and both prime ministers agreed to continue the talks,” reads Ashton’s release.

“We agreed to continue our work on full implementation of all agreements and welcomed results of a joint working group on the integrated crossings management that took place on November 5-6,” she said in the statement.

Ashton noted that they had discussed “transparency of funds Serbia provides to the Serbian community in Kosovo” and “how to improve protection of the Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo”.

According to the release, both sides agreed on a joint technical working group that will prepare a feasibility study for the construction of the Niš-Priština highway.

The meeting ended around 23:00 on Wednesday.

Dačić told B92 immediately after the meeting that a step forward was made at the meeting. He added that the meeting in fact represented a continuation of the talks held in Belgrade a couple of weeks ago with Ashton and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“The talks were status neutral, the topic of the talks was not any change to the Serbian Constitution regarding Kosovo’s independence, the topic was the finding of a modus for the implementation of things that have already been agreed. We also discussed the best possible way to help people in Kosovo and Metohija without touching the difficult status issue,” Dačić explained.

“Of course, I said we were ready to talk about that as well. I said that we should not let our children go to war again, we should discuss all issues,” the Serbian PM stressed.

He said that it was agreed at the meeting that no unilateral moved would be made.

Dačić announced that the next meeting with Thaci would be held in the beginning of December, possibly before December 10 when the European Council should hold a session.

According to him, they discussed the agreements that had already been reached, how to improve life in Kosovo and EULEX’ executive power in Kosovo.

The Serbian PM said that it was agreed that the implementation of the agreement on administrative crossings would begin next months. He noted that there were no problems that cold slow the process down and that it was in Serbia’s interest to implement the agreements.

Dačić said that Serbia wanted to make the financing of the Kosovo Serbs transparent.

When asked if it meant that Serbia will abolish the so-called parallel institutions, the PM said that it was not one of the requests and that it was not discussed.

“Serbia has nothing to hide. The international community and Kosovo Serbs want to know what Serbia is financing,” Dačić told B92.

He said that Thaci had promised that a police unit of mainly Serbs would be formed and that its job would be to protect the Serbian churches and monasteries.

According to the prime minister, the EU and Priština were surprised by Serbia’s openness and readiness to discuss absolutely all issues and that they were unable to respond to Serbia’s proposals.

“This was a good and useful meeting and I think that we made several steps forward,” he concluded.

Thaci said that it was agreed that all agreements would be implemented and that Kosovo had insisted that the financing of the “parallel Serbian institutions in Kosovo” be transparent.