Thaci fails to secure meeting with Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama has not received Hashim Thaci, who is on a visit to Washington, although the talks were announced by the Pristina press. Thaci, who heads the Kosovo Albanian government in Pristina, himself said he would confer with Obama, "and although April 6 was mentioned as the date of the talks several times, the meeting did not take place after all", Albanian language daily Zeri reports. Thaci fails to secure meeting with Obama Citing sources close to the government in Pristina, the Republic of Srpska (RS) news agency Srna reports that Thaci's visit to Washington is over. Well-informed sources in Washington say that the fact that the U.S. President has not received the Kosovo prime minister shows that Thaci is not welcome. During his visit to the U.S. capital, the Kosovo PM first had talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then with Vice President Joseph Biden. As Tanjug has learned, the meeting with Biden was held behind close doors and the media and photo reporters were not allowed entry except for the official photo reporter of the White House. The U.S. vice president also reportedly condemned latest attacks on Serb Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo. A statement released by Thaci's office notes that Biden congratulated him on his courage in making important decisions which are in the interest of Kosovo. According to the release, Biden pledged that the U.S. would continue to be fully engaged in Kosovo and insist on the implementation of all agreements reached with Serbia. Hashim Thaci (Tanjug, file) “Five EU countries should recognize Kosovo” Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci says it is of immense importance that five EU member states, which have not recognized Kosovo's independence, do so as soon as possible. Taking part in a meeting organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Thursday, Thaci said that Brussels should do more to persuade those countries (Romania, Spain, Greece, Slovakia, and Cyprus) to change their stand and recognize Kosovo's independence. He said that the Kosovo authorities would not allow the holding of local elections that will be organized by Serbia, while the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) could facilitate the voting of Serbs with dual citizenship at presidential and parliamentary elections. When asked whether he thought that the Serbs in Kosovo felt safe taking into account that 15 months after the investigation into human organ trafficking was launched there was no single data on findings, and that Orthodox Churches in Kosovo were being attacked, Thaci said that the Belgrade authorities were working on tarnishing the image of Kosovo. “Numerous accusations have been leveled at me, but they all come to nothing. No one can change the independence of Kosovo which suffered genocide,” the Kosovo prime minister stressed. Avoiding a direct answer to the question about human organ trafficking, Thaci just added that the Pristina authorities had excellent cooperation with EULEX and added that he believed in justice and truth. Tanjug

Thaci fails to secure meeting with Obama

Citing sources close to the government in Priština, the Republic of Srpska (RS) news agency Srna reports that Thaci's visit to Washington is over.

Well-informed sources in Washington say that the fact that the U.S. President has not received the Kosovo prime minister shows that Thaci is not welcome.

During his visit to the U.S. capital, the Kosovo PM first had talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and then with Vice President Joseph Biden.

As Tanjug has learned, the meeting with Biden was held behind close doors and the media and photo reporters were not allowed entry except for the official photo reporter of the White House. The U.S. vice president also reportedly condemned latest attacks on Serb Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo.

A statement released by Thaci's office notes that Biden congratulated him on his courage in making important decisions which are in the interest of Kosovo.

According to the release, Biden pledged that the U.S. would continue to be fully engaged in Kosovo and insist on the implementation of all agreements reached with Serbia.

“Five EU countries should recognize Kosovo”

Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci says it is of immense importance that five EU member states, which have not recognized Kosovo's independence, do so as soon as possible.

Taking part in a meeting organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on Thursday, Thaci said that Brussels should do more to persuade those countries (Romania, Spain, Greece, Slovakia, and Cyprus) to change their stand and recognize Kosovo's independence.

He said that the Kosovo authorities would not allow the holding of local elections that will be organized by Serbia, while the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) could facilitate the voting of Serbs with dual citizenship at presidential and parliamentary elections.

When asked whether he thought that the Serbs in Kosovo felt safe taking into account that 15 months after the investigation into human organ trafficking was launched there was no single data on findings, and that Orthodox Churches in Kosovo were being attacked, Thaci said that the Belgrade authorities were working on tarnishing the image of Kosovo.

“Numerous accusations have been leveled at me, but they all come to nothing. No one can change the independence of Kosovo which suffered genocide,” the Kosovo prime minister stressed.

Avoiding a direct answer to the question about human organ trafficking, Thaci just added that the Priština authorities had excellent cooperation with EULEX and added that he believed in justice and truth.