EU’s Ashton “satisfied with Belgrade-Priština agreement”

BRUSSELS EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton is satisfied with results of the Belgrade-Pristina meeting on the crossings management. “High Representative Catherine Ashton is happy with the results of the IBM working group, in which yesterday the two sides reached an understanding on issues related to IBM implementation,” Ashton’s Spokesman Michael Mann said in a release on Wednesday. EU’s Ashton “satisfied with Belgrade-Pristina agreement” “The technical work on these issues will continue on January 10, in preparation for Ashton's meeting with Serbian Prime Minister (Ivica) Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, which will take place on 17 January,” said Mann. "The high representative expects that the understanding reached yesterday will allow for the smooth functioning of the two gates opened on 10 December and the opening of two more gates by the end of the year, as agreed by the two prime ministers on 4 December," he said. “The EU also expects that both sides will continue to discuss all outstanding issues, whenever they occur, in the context of the EU-facilitated dialogue for normalization of relations,” Mann said in a statement the link to which he posted on his Twitter account. “In Brussels, late on Tuesday, the Belgrade and Pristina working groups reached an agreement on customs duties procedures at the integrated crossings on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia, which should enter into force on December 20,” head of Belgrade's negotiating team Dejan Pavicevic has said. “Vehicles carrying goods that are not subject to excise tax will be able to enter northern Kosovo without clearance, which also applies to excise goods weighing up to three and a half tons,” he told press late on Tuesday, after the marathon talks that began seven days ago. Pavicevic noted that documentation of the goods transported would be checked, but solely for the sake of statistics. He added that the agreement would enter into force on Thursday, December 20, at 8:00 CET. Pavicevic stressed that the understanding reached only confirmed the agreement between Dacic and Thaci from the latest round of political dialogue in Brussels, which took place on December 7. He also said that Belgrade's team had taken into account the interests of the Serbs in northern Kosovo, but also the possibility of abuse of free imports. “If the other party obstructs the agreement on integrated crossings in any way, we are ready to suspend it,” Pavicevic warned. Catherine Ashton (Beta/AP, file) Tanjug

EU’s Ashton “satisfied with Belgrade-Priština agreement”

“The technical work on these issues will continue on January 10, in preparation for Ashton's meeting with Serbian Prime Minister (Ivica) Dačić and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, which will take place on 17 January,” said Mann.

"The high representative expects that the understanding reached yesterday will allow for the smooth functioning of the two gates opened on 10 December and the opening of two more gates by the end of the year, as agreed by the two prime ministers on 4 December," he said.

“The EU also expects that both sides will continue to discuss all outstanding issues, whenever they occur, in the context of the EU-facilitated dialogue for normalization of relations,” Mann said in a statement the link to which he posted on his Twitter account.

“In Brussels, late on Tuesday, the Belgrade and Priština working groups reached an agreement on customs duties procedures at the integrated crossings on the administrative line between Kosovo and central Serbia, which should enter into force on December 20,” head of Belgrade's negotiating team Dejan Pavićević has said.

“Vehicles carrying goods that are not subject to excise tax will be able to enter northern Kosovo without clearance, which also applies to excise goods weighing up to three and a half tons,” he told press late on Tuesday, after the marathon talks that began seven days ago.

Pavićević noted that documentation of the goods transported would be checked, but solely for the sake of statistics.

He added that the agreement would enter into force on Thursday, December 20, at 8:00 CET.

Pavicevic stressed that the understanding reached only confirmed the agreement between Dačić and Thaci from the latest round of political dialogue in Brussels, which took place on December 7.

He also said that Belgrade's team had taken into account the interests of the Serbs in northern Kosovo, but also the possibility of abuse of free imports.

“If the other party obstructs the agreement on integrated crossings in any way, we are ready to suspend it,” Pavićević warned.