Progressives in favor of continued negotiations

BELGRADE The presidency of the ruling SNS party has decided to suggest to the government not to sign the proposed Kosovo agreement on Tuesday. Instead, party leader and First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic announced on Monday, Serbia should seek the urgent continuation of the negotiations. Progressives in favor of continued negotiations He addressed reporters after the meeting of his party's presidency to say that "we did not even see" the deal proposed in Brussels, and that "some of its parts do not take into account even the minimum of (Serbia's) national interests." "We will suggest to the government to seek the urgent continuation of the dialogue, because we believe that stalling, tactics and wasting of time does not represent anything good... We are not signing, but we are continuing negotiations," said Vucic, and added: "I am personally disappointed with the EU's offer... But, does that mean we should close the door to the EU? This party will not do that. Negotiations must continue, there's no other solution." Vucic added that "we are seeking somewhat greater rights for our people in Kosovo and wish to make deals and go ahead, we want to take the risk." Explaining what the EU wished Serbia to put its signature on, Vucic said that "Serbia was not given clearly what it was supposed to accept, nor did it receive clear answers to a series of its requests." "Serbia cannot accept the adding of (Albanian majority) municipalities to the four Serb municipalities (in northern Kosovo), which the Pristina side said could not be recognized because of their administration, but they could be recognized when it concerned the agreement on integrated management of administrative crossings," he noted, and added: "Belgrade did not receive answers about the presence of security forces, nor clear answers on the issues of education, health-care and judiciary." According to Vucic, Belgrade is seeking "a court of appeals for Kosovska Mitrovica". He added that he hoped this position would not meet with negative reactions from the EU, and that the organization would support Belgrade's stance to seek the urgent continuation of the negotiations. If the talks should continue, "perhaps they will not be in the same format as until now, but in a similar", Vucic told reporters, but did not wish to say whether he would be a member of a future delegation. Asked to comment on President Tomislav Nikolic's statement that the dialogue, "if it is about relations between Serbia and Kosovo", should be conducted under the auspices of the UN, Vucic said this "would be nice" but that he was "not sure if it was realistic." The Serbian government is expected to meet later on Monday in an extraordinary session in order to make the final decision on the matter. Presidential advisor Marko Djuric told B92 TV late on Sunday that Brussels was expecting an answer to its offer by Monday afternoon. Speaking earlier the same day, President Tomislav Nikolic described that offer as an ultimatum, adding that the current format of negotiations was no longer acceptable, and that Serbia would seek talks under the auspices of an organization where it is a member. Aleksandar Vucic (Tanjug) B92 Beta RTS

Progressives in favor of continued negotiations

He addressed reporters after the meeting of his party's presidency to say that "we did not even see" the deal proposed in Brussels, and that "some of its parts do not take into account even the minimum of (Serbia's) national interests."

"We will suggest to the government to seek the urgent continuation of the dialogue, because we believe that stalling, tactics and wasting of time does not represent anything good... We are not signing, but we are continuing negotiations," said Vučić, and added:

"I am personally disappointed with the EU's offer... But, does that mean we should close the door to the EU? This party will not do that. Negotiations must continue, there's no other solution."

Vučić added that "we are seeking somewhat greater rights for our people in Kosovo and wish to make deals and go ahead, we want to take the risk."

Explaining what the EU wished Serbia to put its signature on, Vučić said that "Serbia was not given clearly what it was supposed to accept, nor did it receive clear answers to a series of its requests."

"Serbia cannot accept the adding of (Albanian majority) municipalities to the four Serb municipalities (in northern Kosovo), which the Priština side said could not be recognized because of their administration, but they could be recognized when it concerned the agreement on integrated management of administrative crossings," he noted, and added:

"Belgrade did not receive answers about the presence of security forces, nor clear answers on the issues of education, health-care and judiciary."

According to Vučić, Belgrade is seeking "a court of appeals for Kosovska Mitrovica".

He added that he hoped this position would not meet with negative reactions from the EU, and that the organization would support Belgrade's stance to seek the urgent continuation of the negotiations.

If the talks should continue, "perhaps they will not be in the same format as until now, but in a similar", Vučić told reporters, but did not wish to say whether he would be a member of a future delegation.
Asked to comment on President Tomislav Nikolić's statement that the dialogue, "if it is about relations between Serbia and Kosovo", should be conducted under the auspices of the UN, Vučić said this "would be nice" but that he was "not sure if it was realistic."

The Serbian government is expected to meet later on Monday in an extraordinary session in order to make the final decision on the matter.

Presidential advisor Marko Đurić told B92 TV late on Sunday that Brussels was expecting an answer to its offer by Monday afternoon.

Speaking earlier the same day, President Tomislav Nikolić described that offer as an ultimatum, adding that the current format of negotiations was no longer acceptable, and that Serbia would seek talks under the auspices of an organization where it is a member.