“Intl. community preparing ground for full independence”

Brussels and Washington are determined to make a decisive step toward resolving of the Kosovo issue in near future, analysts believe. Experts believe that they are already preparing for the final step that would secure the full independence of the southern Serbian province. “Intl. community preparing ground for full independence” “The international community has its agenda and credible instruments they will not hesitate to use in order to fulfill their goal - to close the so-called parallel institutions in northern Kosovo and Metohija by spring 2013 so general elections in the entire territory of Kosovo could be held,” says Forum for Ethnic Relations Director Dusan Janjic. He believes that a new format for the Belgrade-Pristina talks is now mentioned as a preparation for this. It is certain that three options are so far on the table – continuation of the dialogue between expert teams on a technical level, which Pristina officially advocates, continuation of the dialogue on a higher, political level, which the international community is in favor of, and forming of two parallel talks, political and technical ones. Analysts believe that the third option would be the best solution for Serbia. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic in Rio de Janeiro that a new phase of the dialogue should begin. Similar messages came from Brussels during Nikolic’s first official visit. However, the EU is still not sure what the new format of the dialogue would look like. The Serbian president was the first one who voiced the idea that the talks should be taken to a higher level. He even said that he could lead the negotiations but a part of the public, including Belgrade team chief Borislav Stefanovic believe that Serbia would that way de facto recognize Kosovo’s independence. Faculty of Political Sciences professor Predrag Simic, who believes that the international community is preparing the ground for full independence of Kosovo, says that the idea of a president or a PM leading the dialogue is very dangerous. “In that case it would be state negotiations and it would de facto be recognition of Kosovo as an independent state,” he explained. According to him, Pristina is taking advantage of a political vacuum that was created in Serbia after the elections. “There is no ruling coalition and the government in Serbia and nothing that would qualify as Belgrade’s political platform. The last thing Belgrade has are four points of former Serbian President Boris Tadic,” Simic pointed out. “It seems to me that it would be counterproductive to start the negotiations at the moment, without a clear idea of what Belgrade wants to achieve,” he added. Janjic believes that the technical dialogue should continue in order to solve energy and telecommunications issues and that a political one should be launched as well, adding that a role of the president or PM should be under strict control. Tanjug

“Intl. community preparing ground for full independence”

“The international community has its agenda and credible instruments they will not hesitate to use in order to fulfill their goal - to close the so-called parallel institutions in northern Kosovo and Metohija by spring 2013 so general elections in the entire territory of Kosovo could be held,” says Forum for Ethnic Relations Director Dušan Janjić.

He believes that a new format for the Belgrade-Priština talks is now mentioned as a preparation for this.

It is certain that three options are so far on the table – continuation of the dialogue between expert teams on a technical level, which Priština officially advocates, continuation of the dialogue on a higher, political level, which the international community is in favor of, and forming of two parallel talks, political and technical ones.

Analysts believe that the third option would be the best solution for Serbia.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed with Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić in Rio de Janeiro that a new phase of the dialogue should begin. Similar messages came from Brussels during Nikolić’s first official visit.

However, the EU is still not sure what the new format of the dialogue would look like.

The Serbian president was the first one who voiced the idea that the talks should be taken to a higher level. He even said that he could lead the negotiations but a part of the public, including Belgrade team chief Borislav Stefanović believe that Serbia would that way de facto recognize Kosovo’s independence.

Faculty of Political Sciences professor Predrag Simić, who believes that the international community is preparing the ground for full independence of Kosovo, says that the idea of a president or a PM leading the dialogue is very dangerous.

“In that case it would be state negotiations and it would de facto be recognition of Kosovo as an independent state,” he explained.

According to him, Priština is taking advantage of a political vacuum that was created in Serbia after the elections.

“There is no ruling coalition and the government in Serbia and nothing that would qualify as Belgrade’s political platform. The last thing Belgrade has are four points of former Serbian President Boris Tadić,” Simić pointed out.

“It seems to me that it would be counterproductive to start the negotiations at the moment, without a clear idea of what Belgrade wants to achieve,” he added.

Janjić believes that the technical dialogue should continue in order to solve energy and telecommunications issues and that a political one should be launched as well, adding that a role of the president or PM should be under strict control.