"KFOR to control checkpoints until mid-September"

NATO-led troops in Kosovo, KFOR, revealed on Thursday evening the details of the talks held today in northern Kosovo. According to this, KFOR commander Erhard Buehler and Serbian officials Goran Bogdanovic and Borislav Stefanovic reached a preliminary agreement that would allow KFOR to take over control of the Brnjak and Jarinje checkpoints between Kosovo and central Serbia, and remain there until mid-September. "KFOR to control checkpoints until mid-September" It was also announced that "if necessary, this deadline can be extended". This agreement is envisaged in a draft put together today during the meeting near the town of Leposavic. A KFOR statement this evening said that Stefanovic and Bogdanovic "will coordinate the agreement" with Serbian President Boris Tadic. The agreement envisages that KFOR will maintain control over the two posts, and that vehicles, trucks of up to 3.5 tons, and trucks carrying humanitarian aid - including food - will be able to pass after passing security checks. In return, local Serbs would remove road blocks in the north, said the statement, adding that the KFOR commander "was given full authority from all institutions taking part". According to this, the agreement could be implemented as soon as in the next few days. Earlier this evening Serbian negotiators Borislav Stefanovic and Goran Bogdanovic said that the talks today between representatives of the Serbian government and the NATO-led KFOR commander had yielded "positive results". "Look at our smiling faces and you will know the result," Stefanovic and Bogdanovic told Serbs gathered at the barricade in Leposavic where they came after the meeting. "The talks were long, they went in a positive direction and tomorrow I expect a result," Stefanovic told Tanjug, without giving any further details. He again urged the people to be patient and peaceful, adding that Belgrade remains fully and strongly committed to the dialogue. Bogdanovic and Stefanovic called on the Serbs to continue letting KFOR vehicles through and drove on toward Lesak and the Jarinje administrative crossing. Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic said late on Wednesday that encouraging progress has been made in the talks with KFOR commander Erhard Buehler. He said he and Stefanovic will meet with the presidents of the municipalities in northern Kosovo on Thursday, and then with the people on the barricades. "It will become clearer tomorrow in which direction things are headed and what progress we will make," the minister said. Bogdanovic again called all sides to refrain from violence, and appealed to the people in northern Kosovo to stay dignified and committed to a peaceful solution to the crisis. He reiterated the talks with Buehler were difficult, strenuous and exhausting, but open and constructive. Before the meeting, Stefanovic and Bogdanovic visited the barricades in northern Kosovo, asking the people there to allow a KFOR supply convoy to pass, which the Kosovo Serbs accepted. After Jarinje was demolished last week, KFOR shut down both checkpoints and cut off local Serbs in the north, leaving them without food and medical supplies from central Serbia. But KFOR today announced they would reopen Jarinje for passage of trucks. Previously, Serbian officials said that during the negotiations to resolve the crisis in the north they would demand a return to the arrangement that existed on the Jarinje and Brnjak posts on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia before the Kosovo Albanian authorities sent its police unit Rosu to take them over on July 25. The takeover was meant to install Kosovo customs on the two outposts and enforce a ban on goods coming from Serbia. Before July 25, EULEX customs and Serb members of Kosovo police, KPS, were present on the checkpoints. After KFOR and Serbian officials negotiated a withdrawal of the Rosu unit, members of the Kosovo customs were transported to Brnjak, which prompted Serbs to put up barricades on the roads leading to the two checkpoints and prevent KFOR vehicles from passing until the crisis has been resolved. A scene from northern Kosovo (Tanjug)

"KFOR to control checkpoints until mid-September"

It was also announced that "if necessary, this deadline can be extended".

This agreement is envisaged in a draft put together today during the meeting near the town of Leposavić.

A KFOR statement this evening said that Stefanović and Bogdanović "will coordinate the agreement" with Serbian President Boris Tadić.

The agreement envisages that KFOR will maintain control over the two posts, and that vehicles, trucks of up to 3.5 tons, and trucks carrying humanitarian aid - including food - will be able to pass after passing security checks.

In return, local Serbs would remove road blocks in the north, said the statement, adding that the KFOR commander "was given full authority from all institutions taking part".

According to this, the agreement could be implemented as soon as in the next few days.

Earlier this evening Serbian negotiators Borislav Stefanović and Goran Bogdanović said that the talks today between representatives of the Serbian government and the NATO-led KFOR commander had yielded "positive results".

"Look at our smiling faces and you will know the result," Stefanović and Bogdanović told Serbs gathered at the barricade in Leposavić where they came after the meeting.

"The talks were long, they went in a positive direction and tomorrow I expect a result," Stefanović told Tanjug, without giving any further details.

He again urged the people to be patient and peaceful, adding that Belgrade remains fully and strongly committed to the dialogue.

Bogdanović and Stefanović called on the Serbs to continue letting KFOR vehicles through and drove on toward Lešak and the Jarinje administrative crossing.

Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović said late on Wednesday that encouraging progress has been made in the talks with KFOR commander Erhard Buehler.

He said he and Stefanović will meet with the presidents of the municipalities in northern Kosovo on Thursday, and then with the people on the barricades.

"It will become clearer tomorrow in which direction things are headed and what progress we will make," the minister said.

Bogdanović again called all sides to refrain from violence, and appealed to the people in northern Kosovo to stay dignified and committed to a peaceful solution to the crisis.

He reiterated the talks with Buehler were difficult, strenuous and exhausting, but open and constructive.

Before the meeting, Stefanović and Bogdanović visited the barricades in northern Kosovo, asking the people there to allow a KFOR supply convoy to pass, which the Kosovo Serbs accepted.

After Jarinje was demolished last week, KFOR shut down both checkpoints and cut off local Serbs in the north, leaving them without food and medical supplies from central Serbia. But KFOR today announced they would reopen Jarinje for passage of trucks.

Previously, Serbian officials said that during the negotiations to resolve the crisis in the north they would demand a return to the arrangement that existed on the Jarinje and Brnjak posts on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia before the Kosovo Albanian authorities sent its police unit Rosu to take them over on July 25.

The takeover was meant to install Kosovo customs on the two outposts and enforce a ban on goods coming from Serbia.

Before July 25, EULEX customs and Serb members of Kosovo police, KPS, were present on the checkpoints. After KFOR and Serbian officials negotiated a withdrawal of the Rosu unit, members of the Kosovo customs were transported to Brnjak, which prompted Serbs to put up barricades on the roads leading to the two checkpoints and prevent KFOR vehicles from passing until the crisis has been resolved.