Serbian president: There is line Serbia must not cross

BELGRADE Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic has said that there is a line Serbia should not cross - Pristina's institutions spreading to the entire territory of Kosovo. He added that Kosovo would never be independent unless Serbia recognized it, which was an asset to use in the talks and “make Pristina accept that which is reasonable and normal.” Serbian president: There is line Serbia must not cross Nikolic told Belgrade-based Happy TV that Serbia accepted the EU facilitation of the talks between Belgrade and Pristina because it wanted to meet EU requirements and thereby help itself start the accession talks to become its full member one day. “Had anyone thought about it as talks on Kosovo's independence at that time, they would have given up on the idea and everything would remain in the framework of the UN Security Council, where it should be,” said the Serbian president. He added, however, that now, the situation was very difficult because there were different obstacles in the UN Security Council itself. Nikolic said he believed that Brussels was exerting “quiet” pressure on members of Belgrade's negotiating team and assistants, and also on the prime minister and the first deputy prime minister to relent. “But it is clear that there is a limit that Serbia must not cross - the limit is spreading of Pristina's institutions on the entire territory of Kosovo and Metohija, in particular to the four municipalities in northern Kosovo, as that would mean that the Serbs are disappearing from the area,“ stressed the Serbian president. He qualified as very important the date for the opening of EU accession talks, but added that Serbia should not act against its national interests and accept all the waivers being imposed on it. Nikolic said that getting a date “means that you have passed another exam, that you have fulfilled certain conditions and that this finally means that the situation in the country is good”. As he put it, this is also a sign for investors to make investments and profit and to reinvest, while the fulfilled conditions and their implementation would make it possible for the people to live better. Nikolic pointed out it was obvious that, due to reality, there were things from which Serbia could and needed to back away. "The date is very important, and for its sake we did not say it so stubbornly that this is what is says in the Constitution and that we do not intend to back away from it," the president stressed. “We will keep the same priorities, stay committed to the EU and our desire to become its full-fledged member,” he concluded. Tomislav Nikolic (Beta, file) Tanjug

Serbian president: There is line Serbia must not cross

Nikolić told Belgrade-based Happy TV that Serbia accepted the EU facilitation of the talks between Belgrade and Priština because it wanted to meet EU requirements and thereby help itself start the accession talks to become its full member one day.

“Had anyone thought about it as talks on Kosovo's independence at that time, they would have given up on the idea and everything would remain in the framework of the UN Security Council, where it should be,” said the Serbian president.

He added, however, that now, the situation was very difficult because there were different obstacles in the UN Security Council itself.

Nikolić said he believed that Brussels was exerting “quiet” pressure on members of Belgrade's negotiating team and assistants, and also on the prime minister and the first deputy prime minister to relent.

“But it is clear that there is a limit that Serbia must not cross - the limit is spreading of Priština's institutions on the entire territory of Kosovo and Metohija, in particular to the four municipalities in northern Kosovo, as that would mean that the Serbs are disappearing from the area,“ stressed the Serbian president.

He qualified as very important the date for the opening of EU accession talks, but added that Serbia should not act against its national interests and accept all the waivers being imposed on it.

Nikolić said that getting a date “means that you have passed another exam, that you have fulfilled certain conditions and that this finally means that the situation in the country is good”.

As he put it, this is also a sign for investors to make investments and profit and to reinvest, while the fulfilled conditions and their implementation would make it possible for the people to live better.

Nikolić pointed out it was obvious that, due to reality, there were things from which Serbia could and needed to back away.

"The date is very important, and for its sake we did not say it so stubbornly that this is what is says in the Constitution and that we do not intend to back away from it," the president stressed.

“We will keep the same priorities, stay committed to the EU and our desire to become its full-fledged member,” he concluded.