“We need consensus on Kosovo as soon as possible”

BELGRADE Serbian president’s foreign policy advisor Marko Djuric told daily Danas that Serbia urgently needs consensus on Kosovo. He said that President Tomislav Nikolic had expressed readiness to personally take part in the process aimed at resolving relations between Belgrade and Pristina. “We need consensus on Kosovo as soon as possible” “As a president of Serbia he will strictly respect the Constitution and adjust his actions with the presidential constitutional and legal authorities that are not small and allow him to be actively involved in the solving of the issue in cooperation with the government,” Djuric explained. According to him, the Kosovo issue is one of the biggest foreign policy issues in Europe and the world today and it is one of the most important internal issues for Serbia. “There is no doubt that the Belgrade-Pristina talks carry the weight of the Serbo-Albanian dialogue and if we want to secure permanent peace in the Balkans we need to solve the Serbo-Albanian relations by solving relations between Belgrade and Pristina on a political level. We cannot reach a satisfying solution without the internal consensus and if we do not inform our citizens and all other subjects in the society about the current balance of power in the world and in the field and in Serbia, about our perspectives and steps we can take to improve our position,” he was quoted as saying. The president’s advisor noted that some members of Nikolic’s cabinet had had constructive talks with representatives of major world powers. “They were all characterized by complete openness, truthfulness and readiness to go over to a phase when we can think about mutually acceptable solutions. I do not have an impression that anyone is planning any political violence against anyone in the process, which is very important,” he underscored. According to Djuric, the political consensus needs to primarily be reached between the most important factors – leaders of the ruling coalition. “It is necessary to act fast. This is required both by the situation in the field and the political moment. We would be happy if we could reach a consensus on Kosovo like the one we have on the EU,” he explained. Djuric said that the future government should decide on the future of the Ministry for Kosovo and recognition of local election results in the Serbian municipalities in northern Kosovo, since “it is in the spirit of the Constitution and the law”. Marko Djuric (Tanjug, file) Danas

“We need consensus on Kosovo as soon as possible”

“As a president of Serbia he will strictly respect the Constitution and adjust his actions with the presidential constitutional and legal authorities that are not small and allow him to be actively involved in the solving of the issue in cooperation with the government,” Đurić explained.

According to him, the Kosovo issue is one of the biggest foreign policy issues in Europe and the world today and it is one of the most important internal issues for Serbia.

“There is no doubt that the Belgrade-Priština talks carry the weight of the Serbo-Albanian dialogue and if we want to secure permanent peace in the Balkans we need to solve the Serbo-Albanian relations by solving relations between Belgrade and Priština on a political level. We cannot reach a satisfying solution without the internal consensus and if we do not inform our citizens and all other subjects in the society about the current balance of power in the world and in the field and in Serbia, about our perspectives and steps we can take to improve our position,” he was quoted as saying.

The president’s advisor noted that some members of Nikolić’s cabinet had had constructive talks with representatives of major world powers.

“They were all characterized by complete openness, truthfulness and readiness to go over to a phase when we can think about mutually acceptable solutions. I do not have an impression that anyone is planning any political violence against anyone in the process, which is very important,” he underscored.

According to Đurić, the political consensus needs to primarily be reached between the most important factors – leaders of the ruling coalition.

“It is necessary to act fast. This is required both by the situation in the field and the political moment. We would be happy if we could reach a consensus on Kosovo like the one we have on the EU,” he explained.

Đurić said that the future government should decide on the future of the Ministry for Kosovo and recognition of local election results in the Serbian municipalities in northern Kosovo, since “it is in the spirit of the Constitution and the law”.