President: No chance of shaking Thaci's hand

The cabinet of President Tomislav Nikolić has dismissed media reports that the Serbian leader would "shake hands with Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci" in New York.

Izvor: Press

Tuesday, 18.09.2012.

10:41

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BELGRADE The cabinet of President Tomislav Nikolic has dismissed media reports that the Serbian leader would "shake hands with Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci" in New York. "There is no chance of something of the kind happening," the Presidency sources told the media in Belgrade. President: No chance of shaking Thaci's hand They at the same time stressed that it was Nikolic's message that he found shaking hands with Thaci, who heads the government in Pristina, "unacceptable". "I cannot shake hands with someone who, it is said, committed crimes against Serbs - not until it is ascertained whether or not he did," the president was quoted as saying, in reference to the ethnic Albanian politician and and one of the former leaders of the KLA. The reports alleging that Nikolic might shake hands with Thaci originated last week in Albanian language media in Pristina. They also said that EU's Catherine Ashton would "initiate" a meeting between Nikolic and Thaci, and that it would take place "on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York". Nikolic's predecessor Boris Tadic had no qualms about shaking Thaci's hand - although he did so after he lost his May bid to be elected Serbia's president for a third term. Nikolic's cabinet also stated on Tuesday that he had not given up on his suggestion, made during his last meeting with Ashton, that the EU-sponsored Belgrade-Pristina dialogue should continue under the UN umbrella. The president also still holds the stance that Serbia will respect all agreements signed by the previous government. Nikolic and Ashton are likely to discuss Kosovo when they meet in New York. Meanwhile, the Presidency sources said, Nikolic is "working intensively on writing a platform for Kosovo", but added that "the volume of this work is exceptionally large". Once the document is ready, the president will seek consensus on it from all parliamentary parties, the civil society, the Church, and Serbs in Kosovo. Meanwhile, he plans to meet with more than 20 heads of state while attending the UN General Assembly sessions in New York, where he will travel on Sunday, September 23. "Our plan is ambitious, we wish to use the opportunity and do as much as we can for Serbia at such a gathering that will bring together all important leaders," the sources concluded. Tomislav Nikolic (file) Press

President: No chance of shaking Thaci's hand

They at the same time stressed that it was Nikolić's message that he found shaking hands with Thaci, who heads the government in Priština, "unacceptable".

"I cannot shake hands with someone who, it is said, committed crimes against Serbs - not until it is ascertained whether or not he did," the president was quoted as saying, in reference to the ethnic Albanian politician and and one of the former leaders of the KLA.

The reports alleging that Nikolić might shake hands with Thaci originated last week in Albanian language media in Priština. They also said that EU's Catherine Ashton would "initiate" a meeting between Nikolić and Thaci, and that it would take place "on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York".

Nikolić's predecessor Boris Tadić had no qualms about shaking Thaci's hand - although he did so after he lost his May bid to be elected Serbia's president for a third term.

Nikolić's cabinet also stated on Tuesday that he had not given up on his suggestion, made during his last meeting with Ashton, that the EU-sponsored Belgrade-Priština dialogue should continue under the UN umbrella.

The president also still holds the stance that Serbia will respect all agreements signed by the previous government.

Nikolić and Ashton are likely to discuss Kosovo when they meet in New York. Meanwhile, the Presidency sources said, Nikolić is "working intensively on writing a platform for Kosovo", but added that "the volume of this work is exceptionally large".

Once the document is ready, the president will seek consensus on it from all parliamentary parties, the civil society, the Church, and Serbs in Kosovo.

Meanwhile, he plans to meet with more than 20 heads of state while attending the UN General Assembly sessions in New York, where he will travel on Sunday, September 23.

"Our plan is ambitious, we wish to use the opportunity and do as much as we can for Serbia at such a gathering that will bring together all important leaders," the sources concluded.

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