Belgrade-Pristina talks on ZSO begin "without Pristina"

Belgrade-Pristina talks on ZSO begin "without Pristina"

According to the Pristina-based public broadcaster RTK, Maja Kocijancic also said that the EU finds implementation of each agreement reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to be "very important."

Tanjug is reporting that Belgrade-Pristina talks on the ZSO "started in Brussels without the presence of the Pristina delegation."

The Belgrade delegation, led by Marko Djuric, took part, as did EU foreign policy service (EEAS) representatives, and those of Serbs taking part in Kosovo's institutions.

The Albanian language media are reporting that "Pristina did not think there would be an official meeting on the ZSO on Tuesday, because that is not on the agenda of the Kosovo government now."

Djuric, who heads the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, said he was "satisfied with the talks, as some progress has been made and after a year of stories about the formation of the ZSO things are now moving forward."

According to him, EEAS officials "heard the positions of the Belgrade side about the structure and powers of the ZSO with much understanding." Djuric also announced that these talks would continue on Wednesday.

He said that the failure of Kosovo Albanian representatives to show up for the meeting "represented an insult and disrespect of the host" - i.e., the EU.

Djuric explained that instead of sending Edita Tahiri, who serves as deputy Kosovo prime minister, Pristina "sent only representatives of Serbs in Kosovo's institutions, attempting to, in this way, avoid dialogue on the ZSO."