No agreement on telecommunications in Brussels

BRUSSELS Belgrade and Pristina failed to reach an agreement on essential matters concerning international area code for Kosovo and license for Serbia's mobile operators. This was announced by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic who spoke to reporters late on Monday. No agreement on telecommunications in Brussels “Progress was made in the dialogue but the agreement has not been reached yet,” Ljajic told reporters upon exit from the building of the European External Action Service (EEAS) where the talks were held with the mediation of Director for the Western Balkans in the European Commission Directorate General for Enlargement Pierre Mirel. Ljajic said that the Pristina delegation headed by Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri refused the offered compromise solutions concerning the international area code for Kosovo and the licence for Serbia's mobile operators for the community of Serb municipalities. Ljajic said that the Belgrade delegation agreed on the text of the agreement with the EU but Pristina refused the first point of the document which covers the international area code for Kosovo, he said. Ljajic explained that the Serbian delegation suggested a competent international agency should be asked to define a positive code which would then be granted to Kosovo but Pristina is refusing this and insists that Kosovo should ask for the code itself, with Serbia's consent. We are not saying that Kosovo should not get a code but we want the procedure to be respected, Ljajic said and added that Kosovo can get an international code only through Serbia. When it comes to the issue of a licence for a mobile operator in municipalities with majority Serb population, the two sides failed to reach an agreement although certain convergence of the stands was achieved, Ljajic said. “We agreed to file a new proposition to Brussels on Tuesday,” he noted and added that the final decision on the proposition would be made by Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in the cabinet of High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on June 20. He underscored that the lack of agreement does not overstep the deadline set earlier through the implementation plan, and added that there is still time until June 20. Tanjug learnt from diplomatic circles in Brussels that Mirel commended the Belgrade delegation on its creative approach during the talks on Monday. (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

No agreement on telecommunications in Brussels

“Progress was made in the dialogue but the agreement has not been reached yet,” Ljajić told reporters upon exit from the building of the European External Action Service (EEAS) where the talks were held with the mediation of Director for the Western Balkans in the European Commission Directorate General for Enlargement Pierre Mirel.

Ljajić said that the Priština delegation headed by Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri refused the offered compromise solutions concerning the international area code for Kosovo and the licence for Serbia's mobile operators for the community of Serb municipalities.

Ljajić said that the Belgrade delegation agreed on the text of the agreement with the EU but Priština refused the first point of the document which covers the international area code for Kosovo, he said.

Ljajić explained that the Serbian delegation suggested a competent international agency should be asked to define a positive code which would then be granted to Kosovo but Priština is refusing this and insists that Kosovo should ask for the code itself, with Serbia's consent.

We are not saying that Kosovo should not get a code but we want the procedure to be respected, Ljajić said and added that Kosovo can get an international code only through Serbia.

When it comes to the issue of a licence for a mobile operator in municipalities with majority Serb population, the two sides failed to reach an agreement although certain convergence of the stands was achieved, Ljajić said.

“We agreed to file a new proposition to Brussels on Tuesday,” he noted and added that the final decision on the proposition would be made by Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in the cabinet of High EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on June 20.

He underscored that the lack of agreement does not overstep the deadline set earlier through the implementation plan, and added that there is still time until June 20.

Tanjug learnt from diplomatic circles in Brussels that Mirel commended the Belgrade delegation on its creative approach during the talks on Monday.