Serbian PM, EU’s Ashton to discuss crossings deal

BRUSSELS Serbian PM Ivica Dacic will primarily try to find a solution for the implementation of the agreement on the integrated crossings management Tuesday in Brussels. He will on Tuesday meet with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci. Serbian PM, EU’s Ashton to discuss crossings deal This will be a new round of the Belgrade-Pristina talks. Just like the last time, Dacic and Thaci will first meet with Ashton separately and a trilateral meeting should follow afterward. The main goal of the meeting is to determine how far the implementation of the agreements has gone, especially the one on the crossings management. This is of crucial importance bearing in mind that the European Council will discuss a possibility to grant Serbia a date for the start of the EU accession talks on December 10. The main conditions for this are normalization of relations with Pristina and the implementation of the agreement on the integrated crossing management. “Belgrade and Pristina reached an agreement in the technical talks on Thursday and Friday to have an equal number of Serbian and Kosovo customs officers at the crossings,” said Belgrade team head Dejan Pavicevic and added that the Jarinje, Konculj and Merdare crossings would start working on December 10. He explained that the Serbian side insisted on the executive role of EULEX at the crossings, adding that that only issue that had not been resolved was who would get the income from the custom duties. Kosovo Serbs want the income to be given to the Serbian municipalities in the north instead of Pristina. Ambassadors of EU member states will thoroughly discuss Serbia’s progress in the implementation of reforms and normalization of relations with Pristina ahead of the European Council meeting. They will also prepare a draft conclusion that will represent their political stance on whether and when Belgrade could expect to get a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations. Diplomatic sources told Beta news agency that the continuation of the dialogue was positively assessed and that the EU believed that the Serbian authorities had made visible steps toward the implementation of reforms despite some stalling due to the elections and the forming of the new government. Majority of the EU member states believe Serbia should be sent a “certain favorable message” even if it does not get the date for the EU talks. Catherine Ashton and Ivica Dacic (Beta, file) Beta

Serbian PM, EU’s Ashton to discuss crossings deal

This will be a new round of the Belgrade-Priština talks. Just like the last time, Dačić and Thaci will first meet with Ashton separately and a trilateral meeting should follow afterward.

The main goal of the meeting is to determine how far the implementation of the agreements has gone, especially the one on the crossings management.

This is of crucial importance bearing in mind that the European Council will discuss a possibility to grant Serbia a date for the start of the EU accession talks on December 10.

The main conditions for this are normalization of relations with Priština and the implementation of the agreement on the integrated crossing management.

“Belgrade and Priština reached an agreement in the technical talks on Thursday and Friday to have an equal number of Serbian and Kosovo customs officers at the crossings,” said Belgrade team head Dejan Pavićević and added that the Jarinje, Končulj and Merdare crossings would start working on December 10.

He explained that the Serbian side insisted on the executive role of EULEX at the crossings, adding that that only issue that had not been resolved was who would get the income from the custom duties.

Kosovo Serbs want the income to be given to the Serbian municipalities in the north instead of Priština.

Ambassadors of EU member states will thoroughly discuss Serbia’s progress in the implementation of reforms and normalization of relations with Priština ahead of the European Council meeting. They will also prepare a draft conclusion that will represent their political stance on whether and when Belgrade could expect to get a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations.

Diplomatic sources told Beta news agency that the continuation of the dialogue was positively assessed and that the EU believed that the Serbian authorities had made visible steps toward the implementation of reforms despite some stalling due to the elections and the forming of the new government.

Majority of the EU member states believe Serbia should be sent a “certain favorable message” even if it does not get the date for the EU talks.