Belgrade team head: We made some progress

Head of Belgrade's negotiation team Borislav Stefanovic says the second round of the talks has led to a certain progress, but not to the extent he expected. He told daily Vecernje novosti that it was important that the two teams were nearing solutions to some of the issues that had been discussed. Belgrade team head: We made some progress Commenting on statements that Pristina did not show much cooperation and readiness to reach a compromise, Stefanovic said that that “it is true that we expected greater progress regarding the telecommunications”. “But progress has been made regarding the electricity. We have found common ground on electricity supply and adequate functioning of our company in this area,” he stressed. “Pristina is requesting original registry books, which we cannot provide,” he pointed out and added that a progress had not been made regarding the customs stamp either. “We have made a proposal that is constructive and compromising, it has not been accepted so far,” the head of Belgrade’s negotiating team was quoted as saying. As for Pristina team head Edita Tahiri's qualification of the talks as a dialogue between “two independent states”, he said that “Serbia's proposals are in line with the European practice and in no way related to the issue of sovereignty, and that its stand on Kosovo remains unchanged." "There are lines we cannot cross since that would be violation of both the Constitution and the UN Security Council Resolution 1244,” Stefanovic underlined. As for north Kosovo, he noted that the reality in this part of the province demanded for the issue to be resolved in a comprehensive manner without focusing only on certain problems, while Tahiri claims that the issue is “non-existing” for them. “I understand Pristina side’s position because they don’t want to see it that way, but that does not change the situation on the ground. There is no need for anybody to impose the issue of north Kosovo, it would open itself up in a certain phase of the dialogue,” Stefanovic explained. He expects that first concrete results of the dialogue will appear at the upcoming meetings, stressing that it is crucial to address the issues which are vital for the lives of people in Kosovo. Borslav Stefanovic (Tanjug, file)

Belgrade team head: We made some progress

Commenting on statements that Priština did not show much cooperation and readiness to reach a compromise, Stefanović said that that “it is true that we expected greater progress regarding the telecommunications”.

“But progress has been made regarding the electricity. We have found common ground on electricity supply and adequate functioning of our company in this area,” he stressed.

“Priština is requesting original registry books, which we cannot provide,” he pointed out and added that a progress had not been made regarding the customs stamp either.

“We have made a proposal that is constructive and compromising, it has not been accepted so far,” the head of Belgrade’s negotiating team was quoted as saying.

As for Priština team head Edita Tahiri's qualification of the talks as a dialogue between “two independent states”, he said that “Serbia's proposals are in line with the European practice and in no way related to the issue of sovereignty, and that its stand on Kosovo remains unchanged."

"There are lines we cannot cross since that would be violation of both the Constitution and the UN Security Council Resolution 1244,” Stefanović underlined.

As for north Kosovo, he noted that the reality in this part of the province demanded for the issue to be resolved in a comprehensive manner without focusing only on certain problems, while Tahiri claims that the issue is “non-existing” for them.

“I understand Priština side’s position because they don’t want to see it that way, but that does not change the situation on the ground. There is no need for anybody to impose the issue of north Kosovo, it would open itself up in a certain phase of the dialogue,” Stefanović explained.

He expects that first concrete results of the dialogue will appear at the upcoming meetings, stressing that it is crucial to address the issues which are vital for the lives of people in Kosovo.