Troika talks Kosovo with Russia-NATO Council

The Kosovo mediating Troika will today brief the Russia-NATO Council on the Kosovo negotiating process. Russian representative to the Troika, Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, said that the briefing would first be held on the progress of the Kosovo status talks, followed by a “live discussion.” Troika talks Kosovo with Russia-NATO Council He said that it was very important to keep the partners within the Alliance informed, because that would ensure security in the region, since “recently there have been various shows of extremism related to expectations that independence will be proclaimed.” The diplomat said that the Kosovo question was on the Russia-Nato Council agenda every day, and was the reason why today’s talks would be of a working nature. Kharchenko said that it was vital for Belgrade and Pristina to begin direct discussions, and consequently in Brussels yesterday, officials from both sides adressed each other instead of communicating through negotiators. He said that as a result, the talks had finally become direct "in the literal sense of the word." The diplomat said that the talks had been very detailed, as far as both sides’ positions were concerned, stating that he did not want to instill false hope, but added that such a detailed approach could enable a step by step process of finding areas of common ground. Kharchenko said that Belgrade and Pristina had agreed to new talks on October 22 in Vienna, reiterating Moscow’s view that December 10 should not be looked at as the deadline for the completion of the Kosovo status negotiations.

Troika talks Kosovo with Russia-NATO Council

He said that it was very important to keep the partners within the Alliance informed, because that would ensure security in the region, since “recently there have been various shows of extremism related to expectations that independence will be proclaimed.”

The diplomat said that the Kosovo question was on the Russia-Nato Council agenda every day, and was the reason why today’s talks would be of a working nature.

Kharchenko said that it was vital for Belgrade and Priština to begin direct discussions, and consequently in Brussels yesterday, officials from both sides adressed each other instead of communicating through negotiators.

He said that as a result, the talks had finally become direct "in the literal sense of the word."

The diplomat said that the talks had been very detailed, as far as both sides’ positions were concerned, stating that he did not want to instill false hope, but added that such a detailed approach could enable a step by step process of finding areas of common ground.

Kharchenko said that Belgrade and Priština had agreed to new talks on October 22 in Vienna, reiterating Moscow’s view that December 10 should not be looked at as the deadline for the completion of the Kosovo status negotiations.