Belgrade will not sign agreements with Priština

Head of Belgrade's negotiating team Borislav Stefanovic has said that no agreement will be signed with representatives of Pristina's negotiating team. He added that the agreements that the two parties could reach would be implemented by the governments and monitored by the European Union. Belgrade will not sign agreements with Pristina “No agreement will be signed since that is not envisaged by the form of the talks, and what is more all talks are being held in Brussels,” Stefanovic said commenting on the announcement of Pristina's team that an agreement on freedom of movement would be signed before EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton's visit to Belgrade on Thursday and Pristina on Friday. Head of Pristina's negotiating team Edita Tahiri stated Monday that it was likely that the first agreement with Belgrade would be signed during the ongoing week and that Belgrade and Pristina saw eye to eye regarding freedom of movement, trade, energy and telecommunications. When asked why it is impossible for agreements to be signed given that both Tahiri and him have announced that they were close to solution with regard to certain issues, the Belgrade team head told daily Politika that signing of agreements was not envisaged in the form of the talks and that this left no space for any document to be signed. “All our agreements will be implemented by the two governments and monitored by the EU. We will inform the public if any agreement is reached,” he added. Stefanovic pointed out that the negotiating teams were close to the resolution of the issues of freedom of movement, registry books and probably telecommunications. “So just like we said before, this is nothing exclusive, in the sense that it is going to be solved before Mrs. Ashton’s visit. The agreements are made in Brussels,” he was quoted as saying. Commenting on Pristina-based Albanian language daily Express’ report that the agreement on freedom of movement envisages that “citizens of Kosovo can enter Serbia’s territory with the Republic of Kosovo’s documents”, the head of the Belgrade’s negotiating team said that “a solution that will allow all our citizens from Kosovo and Metohija to move normally will be found and we will take care about our sovereignty and the way the documents will be treated”. “The treatment of documents confirms whether you recognize something or not. If formally there is no such treatment than you don’t have recognition through the documents themselves and yet you accept your citizens,” Stefanovic explained. Borislav Stefanovic (Tanjug, file)

Belgrade will not sign agreements with Priština

“No agreement will be signed since that is not envisaged by the form of the talks, and what is more all talks are being held in Brussels,” Stefanović said commenting on the announcement of Priština's team that an agreement on freedom of movement would be signed before EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton's visit to Belgrade on Thursday and Priština on Friday.

Head of Priština's negotiating team Edita Tahiri stated Monday that it was likely that the first agreement with Belgrade would be signed during the ongoing week and that Belgrade and Priština saw eye to eye regarding freedom of movement, trade, energy and telecommunications.

When asked why it is impossible for agreements to be signed given that both Tahiri and him have announced that they were close to solution with regard to certain issues, the Belgrade team head told daily Politika that signing of agreements was not envisaged in the form of the talks and that this left no space for any document to be signed.

“All our agreements will be implemented by the two governments and monitored by the EU. We will inform the public if any agreement is reached,” he added.

Stefanović pointed out that the negotiating teams were close to the resolution of the issues of freedom of movement, registry books and probably telecommunications.

“So just like we said before, this is nothing exclusive, in the sense that it is going to be solved before Mrs. Ashton’s visit. The agreements are made in Brussels,” he was quoted as saying.

Commenting on Priština-based Albanian language daily Express’ report that the agreement on freedom of movement envisages that “citizens of Kosovo can enter Serbia’s territory with the Republic of Kosovo’s documents”, the head of the Belgrade’s negotiating team said that “a solution that will allow all our citizens from Kosovo and Metohija to move normally will be found and we will take care about our sovereignty and the way the documents will be treated”.

“The treatment of documents confirms whether you recognize something or not. If formally there is no such treatment than you don’t have recognition through the documents themselves and yet you accept your citizens,” Stefanović explained.