PM and president to discuss Brussels talks, next steps

BELGRADE Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has announced that he will be meeting with President Tomislav Nikolic late on Wednesday evening in Belgrade. Dacic intends to inform the president about the talks he had in Brussels on Tuesday with Hashim Thaci. PM and president to discuss Brussels talks, next steps Dacic was a guest on a public broadcaster RTS program when he said that the topic of the meeting with Nikolic will also be the next steps in the negotiations with Pristina. Meanwhile, Kosovo Albanian politicians are saying that their liaison officer to be appointed to work in Belgrade will be "one of the best ambassadors from Kosovo". But the prime minister dismissed this as "rhetoric for internal usage", and said that the officers will be sitting in EU offices in Belgrade and Pristina, and that their role will not be diplomatic. "Liaison officers will be at the Mission of the European Union, one will sit in Belgrade, and one in Pristina," explained Dacic. The prime minister also commented on the protest organized by Serbs near the administrative line checkpoint of Jarinje, saying that tonight's meeting with Nikolic and Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic will take place "in order to agree in detail about the next steps". "Let's not toy with the fate of Serbs from Kosovo. I urge everyone not to start battles we cannot win," said he. The prime minister also called on Serbs in northern Kosovo to propose their own solutions on technical issues. "The regime (on the administrative line) will not change when the crossing open and there is no reason for any protest, and if what has been agreed on (in Brussels on Tuesday) is not respected, Serbia will immediately suspend the agreement. Jarinje in on our side of the administrative line, we will chase away those who are there... We are balancing between the defense of the people in Kosovo and our continued European path," Dacic said. The Serbian prime minister pointed out that "no one has the moral right" to accuse him of treason - because his ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) previously went to war in Kosovo. According to him, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is "unconstitutional", as is " the whole position of Belgrade". Dacic said that Serbia has never been closer to the EU and expressed his hope that it will get a date for the start of negotiations in March or June 2013. Dacic recalled that before leaving for Brussels he spoke with representatives of Kosovo Serbs who told him they did not want to pay customs duties to Pristina or take Kosovo citizenship in order to get Kosovo license plates. He noted that he raised these issues during the meeting in Brussels and reiterated that if what was agreed there was not respected, Serbia would suspend the implementation of the agreement. "However, Serbia cannot condition anyone on something that was signed in February this year, and even our friends in Europe, who argue in favor of giving us a date for the start of negotiations as soon as possible, do not allow us to question the implementation of what has been agreed," said Dacic . The prime minister also wondered "why anyone should be surprised now - when during the signing of the coalition agreement both the president and the ruling parties announced that they will implement what was agreed previously in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina". Dacic added that it was "unacceptable for Belgrade to establish diplomatic relations with Pristina", and stressed that the liaison officers were "no ambassadors". "They do not enjoy the status of diplomats, instead they are liaison officers at EU missions in Belgrade and Pristina. They will work on the implementation of what has been agreed," Dacic concluded. (Tanjug, file) Beta Tanjug

PM and president to discuss Brussels talks, next steps

Dačić was a guest on a public broadcaster RTS program when he said that the topic of the meeting with Nikolić will also be the next steps in the negotiations with Priština.

Meanwhile, Kosovo Albanian politicians are saying that their liaison officer to be appointed to work in Belgrade will be "one of the best ambassadors from Kosovo".

But the prime minister dismissed this as "rhetoric for internal usage", and said that the officers will be sitting in EU offices in Belgrade and Priština, and that their role will not be diplomatic. "Liaison officers will be at the Mission of the European Union, one will sit in Belgrade, and one in Priština," explained Dačić.

The prime minister also commented on the protest organized by Serbs near the administrative line checkpoint of Jarinje, saying that tonight's meeting with Nikolić and Parliament Speaker Nebojša Stefanović will take place "in order to agree in detail about the next steps".

"Let's not toy with the fate of Serbs from Kosovo. I urge everyone not to start battles we cannot win," said he.

The prime minister also called on Serbs in northern Kosovo to propose their own solutions on technical issues.

"The regime (on the administrative line) will not change when the crossing open and there is no reason for any protest, and if what has been agreed on (in Brussels on Tuesday) is not respected, Serbia will immediately suspend the agreement. Jarinje in on our side of the administrative line, we will chase away those who are there... We are balancing between the defense of the people in Kosovo and our continued European path," Dačić said.

The Serbian prime minister pointed out that "no one has the moral right" to accuse him of treason - because his ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) previously went to war in Kosovo.

According to him, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is "unconstitutional", as is " the whole position of Belgrade".

Dačić said that Serbia has never been closer to the EU and expressed his hope that it will get a date for the start of negotiations in March or June 2013.

Dačić recalled that before leaving for Brussels he spoke with representatives of Kosovo Serbs who told him they did not want to pay customs duties to Priština or take Kosovo citizenship in order to get Kosovo license plates.

He noted that he raised these issues during the meeting in Brussels and reiterated that if what was agreed there was not respected, Serbia would suspend the implementation of the agreement.

"However, Serbia cannot condition anyone on something that was signed in February this year, and even our friends in Europe, who argue in favor of giving us a date for the start of negotiations as soon as possible, do not allow us to question the implementation of what has been agreed," said Dačić .

The prime minister also wondered "why anyone should be surprised now - when during the signing of the coalition agreement both the president and the ruling parties announced that they will implement what was agreed previously in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština".

Dačić added that it was "unacceptable for Belgrade to establish diplomatic relations with Priština", and stressed that the liaison officers were "no ambassadors".

"They do not enjoy the status of diplomats, instead they are liaison officers at EU missions in Belgrade and Priština. They will work on the implementation of what has been agreed," Dačić concluded.