Belgrade to table "more detailed solutions"

BELGRADE In the next round of the Kosovo dialogue, Belgrade will table "more detailed solutions" when it comes to an association of Serb municipalities and its powers. This is according to Marko Djuric, an adviser to President Tomislav Nikolic, who addressed reporters on Monday evening after a meeting held by the country's top officials. Belgrade to table "more detailed solutions" Belgrade will present detailed proposals for the association of Serb municipalities (ZSO) in the next round of talks with Pristina, while the possibility of reaching the agreement in Brussels on April 2 will depend on Pristina's flexibility, Djuric stated. If a solution is reached, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia will also be called to state its mind on it, Djuric said. At this point, there are certain difficulties for Pristina to head toward a compromise, he said. Issues over which the two side's stands are opposed in the Brussels talks cover the questions as to whether the association would have its own powers or would simply act as municipal authorities, whether the association would have the bodies to implement the powers, whether a protection mechanism would be designed for Serbs to take part in central institutions of the province and how the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church would be defined. Serbian officials believe that the situation in the province, the norms of the international law and the good European practice give Serbia the right to insist on an adequate level of powers for the association that would also be able to provide political support for the implementation of such agreement, Djuric said. Replying to reporters' question as to whether the agreement would be reached before April 16 when the European Commission is supposed to issue the report on Serbia's progress, Djuric replied that the Serbian delegation will not allow anything to weaken its negotiating position. “It is not just that the papers offered in the previous two rounds of talks failed to meet the minimum of our interests - obviously, not each and every one of our requests has to be fulfilled - they simply did contain any prerequisite for a compromise,” Djuric said. “It is only normal that papers with content that is incompatible both from the perspective of our interests and the current situation in the province cannot bring us any closer to the solution,” Djuric said. It will be up to the people in Kosovo and Metohija to make the final decision and give their consent for the agreement and thus make its implementation possible, Djuric noted. “We cannot expect people to agree to impossible conditions and I do not think anyone in the international community would demand this from us,” Djuric said. He expressed the expectation that the next round of talks would focus more on the concrete aspects of the future relations, noting that Pristina has so far avoided open talks on the police and the judiciary. “We have not heard Pristina's clear stands on powers in the areas of the police and judiciary, and there may be a hesitation for some political reasons when it comes to voicing clear stands on the issues. There is no reason for it and I believe we should openly discuss all relevant matters,” Djuric said. At this point, it is not certain whether an agreement would be reached on April 2, said the Serbian president's advisor who attended the latest rounds of the talks between the Serbian prime minister and his Kosovo counterpart with the high EU representative as a mediator in Brussels. He added that the National Assembly would make the final decision on the matter once the agreement is close at hand. The meeting held by President Tomislav Nikolic, Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, ministers Snezana Grubjesic, Velimir Ilic, and Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Aleksandar Vulin lasted for an hour and a half. Marko Djuric addresses reporters on Monday evening (Tanjug) Beta Tanjug

Belgrade to table "more detailed solutions"

Belgrade will present detailed proposals for the association of Serb municipalities (ZSO) in the next round of talks with Priština, while the possibility of reaching the agreement in Brussels on April 2 will depend on Priština's flexibility, Đurić stated.

If a solution is reached, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia will also be called to state its mind on it, Đurić said.

At this point, there are certain difficulties for Priština to head toward a compromise, he said.

Issues over which the two side's stands are opposed in the Brussels talks cover the questions as to whether the association would have its own powers or would simply act as municipal authorities, whether the association would have the bodies to implement the powers, whether a protection mechanism would be designed for Serbs to take part in central institutions of the province and how the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church would be defined.

Serbian officials believe that the situation in the province, the norms of the international law and the good European practice give Serbia the right to insist on an adequate level of powers for the association that would also be able to provide political support for the implementation of such agreement, Đurić said.

Replying to reporters' question as to whether the agreement would be reached before April 16 when the European Commission is supposed to issue the report on Serbia's progress, Đurić replied that the Serbian delegation will not allow anything to weaken its negotiating position.

“It is not just that the papers offered in the previous two rounds of talks failed to meet the minimum of our interests - obviously, not each and every one of our requests has to be fulfilled - they simply did contain any prerequisite for a compromise,” Đurić said.

“It is only normal that papers with content that is incompatible both from the perspective of our interests and the current situation in the province cannot bring us any closer to the solution,” Đurić said.

It will be up to the people in Kosovo and Metohija to make the final decision and give their consent for the agreement and thus make its implementation possible, Đurić noted.

“We cannot expect people to agree to impossible conditions and I do not think anyone in the international community would demand this from us,” Đurić said.

He expressed the expectation that the next round of talks would focus more on the concrete aspects of the future relations, noting that Priština has so far avoided open talks on the police and the judiciary.

“We have not heard Priština's clear stands on powers in the areas of the police and judiciary, and there may be a hesitation for some political reasons when it comes to voicing clear stands on the issues. There is no reason for it and I believe we should openly discuss all relevant matters,” Đurić said.

At this point, it is not certain whether an agreement would be reached on April 2, said the Serbian president's advisor who attended the latest rounds of the talks between the Serbian prime minister and his Kosovo counterpart with the high EU representative as a mediator in Brussels.

He added that the National Assembly would make the final decision on the matter once the agreement is close at hand.

The meeting held by President Tomislav Nikolić, Prime Minister Ivica Dačić, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić, ministers Snezana Grubješić, Velimir Ilić, and Director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Aleksandar Vulin lasted for an hour and a half.