Kosovo negotiations resume again in Brussels

BRUSSELS The Kosovo talks negotiators took another break on Wednesday evening in Brussels, and resumed their meeting at around 22:30 CET. This came after the first break that lasted more than three hours, and a subsequent resumption of the negotiations that went on for less than an hour. Kosovo negotiations resume again in Brussels EU's Catherine Ashton acts as mediator in the talks between the teams led by Serbian PM Ivica Dacic and Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci. The subject of the negotiations is a future community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, and its jurisdictions. According to unofficial information, the latest break in the talks came after "a clash" between Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic, who is a member of the Serbian delegation, and Thaci - reportedly over two points in the proposed agreement. They concern the regional chief of police, and guarantees that Kosovo Albanian forces would not be allowed inside the majority Serb, northern areas. Serbian president's advisor Marko Djuric addressed reporters tonight to say that the Serbian side had received "a much more favorable offer" - compared to the one it rejected earlier this month - and added that this in particular concerned the issue of the police. Tanjug also quoted Djuric as saying that the state leadership would decide on the offer "by the end of the weekend". Beta news agency is quoting Djuric as saying that Ashton presented a 15-point paper in the negotiations, that the offer was "much better than the previous", and that "Pristina does not accept the suggestion related to the police". According to him, the Kosovo Albanian side also does not accept the part of the proposed agreement related to "the participation of the two sides in European integrations". Djuric said this was "a big problem," considering that Pristina wants this to relate to "membership in international organizations." If there is agreement tonight on all points of the paper, "that would be a 'take it or leave it' document", consultation would be conducted subsequently and all state organs informed about it, this advisor was quoted as saying. After bilateral meetings in the morning between EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Ivica Dacic and Hashim Thaci, all three met for further talks, but according to unconfirmed reports, Thaci walked out allegedly dissatisfied with a new proposal made by Ashton. The Pristina team first met with Ashton at 10:30 CET while her meeting with the Belgrade team started at 11:40 CET. The meeting between the EU high representative and the Serbian negotiating team lasted for two and a half hours and the two teams then held separate consultations. Another round of bilateral meetings followed after that. Thaci said ahead of the meeting with Ashton that Pristina advocated an agreement with Belgrade that would contribute to "good neighborly relations and Kosovo and Serbia’s European future." “We have come here with the best intentions to reach an agreement between the state of Kosovo and Serbia, an agreement in the spirit of good neighborly relations and the two countries’ Euro-Atlantic future and their people,” Thaci told reporters. He added that the agreement would in the best interest of not only Kosovo but Serbia and the entire region and the EU and expressed hope that “Serbia will work” on reaching it. The main topic that will be discussed at today’s round of talks is a future community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo and its powers. Aside from Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vucic, Deputy PM Suzana Grubjesic, Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin and presidential advisor Marko Djuric are also attending the meeting as members of the Serbian delegation. Vucic took part in the last round of talks on April 2. B92 has learned that Belgrade received an "improved" offer from Brussels today. The Belgrade and Pristina delegations are meeting at Ashton’s invitation. “I have invited tomorrow, Wednesday April 17, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci for a meeting in Brussels. I have asked them to come in a constructive spirit, ready to explore different options and agree to a mutual compromise," Ashton said on Tuesday. Thaci said ahead of today's meetings that he was hoping that an agreement on "normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia would be reached, adding it was in best interest of both sides." He told reporters that it would put an end to a “century-long conflict between the two countries” and that it would contribute to normalization of “good neighborly relations”. Faculty of Political Sciences professor Predrag Simic has stated that either an agreement will be reached today or someone else will have to take over the mediating role from the EU. He told RTS that Ashton’s invitation to the new round of the dialogue was a surprise, bearing in mind that nothing had happened in the meantime that would make the new round more successful than the previous ones. Simic noted that he did not believe that Pristina would change its stance, bearing in mind Thaci’s statements, and that Belgrade did not have much room to make more concessions. “Serbia has not given up on the dialogue because it neither could nor wanted to. But it takes two to have a dialogue. Serbia has gone very far to meet the other side halfway in order to reach some agreement but the other side has not reciprocated in kind,” he pointed out. According to him, an agreement represents a challenge both for Belgrade and Pristina but also for Brussels which has not proven itself capable of completing the negotiations on the crisis in former Yugoslavia. (EU) B92 Beta Tanjug

Kosovo negotiations resume again in Brussels

EU's Catherine Ashton acts as mediator in the talks between the teams led by Serbian PM Ivica Dačić and Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci.

The subject of the negotiations is a future community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo, and its jurisdictions.

According to unofficial information, the latest break in the talks came after "a clash" between Deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić, who is a member of the Serbian delegation, and Thaci - reportedly over two points in the proposed agreement.

They concern the regional chief of police, and guarantees that Kosovo Albanian forces would not be allowed inside the majority Serb, northern areas.

Serbian president's advisor Marko Đurić addressed reporters tonight to say that the Serbian side had received "a much more favorable offer" - compared to the one it rejected earlier this month - and added that this in particular concerned the issue of the police.

Tanjug also quoted Đurić as saying that the state leadership would decide on the offer "by the end of the weekend".

Beta news agency is quoting Đurić as saying that Ashton presented a 15-point paper in the negotiations, that the offer was "much better than the previous", and that "Priština does not accept the suggestion related to the police".

According to him, the Kosovo Albanian side also does not accept the part of the proposed agreement related to "the participation of the two sides in European integrations". Đurić said this was "a big problem," considering that Priština wants this to relate to "membership in international organizations."

If there is agreement tonight on all points of the paper, "that would be a 'take it or leave it' document", consultation would be conducted subsequently and all state organs informed about it, this advisor was quoted as saying.

After bilateral meetings in the morning between EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Ivica Dačić and Hashim Thaci, all three met for further talks, but according to unconfirmed reports, Thaci walked out allegedly dissatisfied with a new proposal made by Ashton.

The Priština team first met with Ashton at 10:30 CET while her meeting with the Belgrade team started at 11:40 CET.

The meeting between the EU high representative and the Serbian negotiating team lasted for two and a half hours and the two teams then held separate consultations. Another round of bilateral meetings followed after that.

Thaci said ahead of the meeting with Ashton that Priština advocated an agreement with Belgrade that would contribute to "good neighborly relations and Kosovo and Serbia’s European future."

“We have come here with the best intentions to reach an agreement between the state of Kosovo and Serbia, an agreement in the spirit of good neighborly relations and the two countries’ Euro-Atlantic future and their people,” Thaci told reporters.

He added that the agreement would in the best interest of not only Kosovo but Serbia and the entire region and the EU and expressed hope that “Serbia will work” on reaching it.

The main topic that will be discussed at today’s round of talks is a future community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo and its powers.

Aside from Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, First Deputy PM Aleksandar Vučić, Deputy PM Suzana Grubješić, Office for Kosovo Director Aleksandar Vulin and presidential advisor Marko Đurić are also attending the meeting as members of the Serbian delegation.

Vučić took part in the last round of talks on April 2.

B92 has learned that Belgrade received an "improved" offer from Brussels today.

The Belgrade and Priština delegations are meeting at Ashton’s invitation.

“I have invited tomorrow, Wednesday April 17, Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci for a meeting in Brussels. I have asked them to come in a constructive spirit, ready to explore different options and agree to a mutual compromise," Ashton said on Tuesday.

Thaci said ahead of today's meetings that he was hoping that an agreement on "normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia would be reached, adding it was in best interest of both sides."

He told reporters that it would put an end to a “century-long conflict between the two countries” and that it would contribute to normalization of “good neighborly relations”.

Faculty of Political Sciences professor Predrag Simić has stated that either an agreement will be reached today or someone else will have to take over the mediating role from the EU.

He told RTS that Ashton’s invitation to the new round of the dialogue was a surprise, bearing in mind that nothing had happened in the meantime that would make the new round more successful than the previous ones.

Simić noted that he did not believe that Priština would change its stance, bearing in mind Thaci’s statements, and that Belgrade did not have much room to make more concessions.

“Serbia has not given up on the dialogue because it neither could nor wanted to. But it takes two to have a dialogue. Serbia has gone very far to meet the other side halfway in order to reach some agreement but the other side has not reciprocated in kind,” he pointed out.

According to him, an agreement represents a challenge both for Belgrade and Priština but also for Brussels which has not proven itself capable of completing the negotiations on the crisis in former Yugoslavia.