"Exchange of liaison officers to take place soon"

BRUSSELS Belgrade and Pristina's teams for the implementation of the Brussels deal "have agreed on the exchange of liaison officers," Tanjug is reporting. This will "most probably" be carried out on June 17, the news agency said it learned. "Exchange of liaison officers to take place soon" During the past two days, the two teams discussed the implementation of what was agreed on April 19 and the issues of energy, telecommunications, judiciary and police at meetings held at the Headquarters of the European External Action Service. According to the action plan for the implementation of the agreement, the exchange of liaison officers should be carried out by mid-June. When it comes to the issues of energy and telecommunications, Tanjug has learned that the talks will continue, most probably next week. Belgrade's team for the implementation of Brussels agreement was led by Director of the Office for Kosovo-Metohija Aleksandar Vulin, and Dejan Pavicevic, who is heading the expert group for energy and telecommunications, also took part. Prior to direct talks, members of both teams conferred with Fernando Gentilini, EU External Action Service Director for the Western Balkans. No one from the Belgrade team has so far wanted to speak about the course of the dialogue, while head of Pristina's team Edita Tahiri stated on Thursday that there is certain convergence of views and voiced hope that a concrete agreement will be reached on Friday. Earlier on Friday, the news agency said it learned from a source close to the negotiations that Pristina's delegation "departed from the implementation plan of the Brussels agreement in all five working group teams." The same source said that the Belgrade delegation "would not deviate from even a single letter of the text on the implementation of the Brussels agreement." Thursday's dialogue was held on two-tracks simultaneously: one part dealt with the implementation of the agreement Belgrade and Pristina signed in Brussels on April 19, and the other expert-level talks addressed the issues related to electric energy supply and telecommunications. (Beta/AP, file) "Progress" Adviser to the Serbian president Marko Djuric stated late on Friday that the greatest progress in the talks on how to implement the Belgrade-Pristina agreement on the normalization of mutual relations has been made in the field of judiciary, police and the functioning of Serb municipalities until the scheduling of local elections. Djuric told journalists that the teams worked in six working groups and that slightly less progress was made in other fields, including electricity and telecommunications, but added that the dialogue on the matters will resume next week. "If there is no deviation from the letter and spirit of the agreement, I can say that things are moving in the right direction," he noted. Djuric pointed out that Belgrade's team wants to ensure "as greater personal and material security and political rights for Serbs in Kosovo as possible." He pointed out that the international community's deadlines for the implementation of certain phases of the deal are short and that they will demand more realistic time limits at next meetings. Head of Pristina's team and Kosovo deputy prime minister Edita Tahiri also said that there has been some progress in the talks, qualifying as important that the Serbian side has agreed to remove the obstacles preventing Kosovo from getting an international calling code. Neither Dejan Pavicevic, who headed Belgrade's team in talks on telecommunications, nor other members of the team have confirmed this information. Tahiri also confirmed that an agreement on the exchange of Belgrade and Pristina's liaison officers has been made, adding that it should be carried out by June 17. Tanjug

"Exchange of liaison officers to take place soon"

During the past two days, the two teams discussed the implementation of what was agreed on April 19 and the issues of energy, telecommunications, judiciary and police at meetings held at the Headquarters of the European External Action Service.

According to the action plan for the implementation of the agreement, the exchange of liaison officers should be carried out by mid-June.

When it comes to the issues of energy and telecommunications, Tanjug has learned that the talks will continue, most probably next week.

Belgrade's team for the implementation of Brussels agreement was led by Director of the Office for Kosovo-Metohija Aleksandar Vulin, and Dejan Pavićević, who is heading the expert group for energy and telecommunications, also took part.

Prior to direct talks, members of both teams conferred with Fernando Gentilini, EU External Action Service Director for the Western Balkans.

No one from the Belgrade team has so far wanted to speak about the course of the dialogue, while head of Priština's team Edita Tahiri stated on Thursday that there is certain convergence of views and voiced hope that a concrete agreement will be reached on Friday.

Earlier on Friday, the news agency said it learned from a source close to the negotiations that Priština's delegation "departed from the implementation plan of the Brussels agreement in all five working group teams."

The same source said that the Belgrade delegation "would not deviate from even a single letter of the text on the implementation of the Brussels agreement."

Thursday's dialogue was held on two-tracks simultaneously: one part dealt with the implementation of the agreement Belgrade and Priština signed in Brussels on April 19, and the other expert-level talks addressed the issues related to electric energy supply and telecommunications.

"Progress"

Adviser to the Serbian president Marko Đurić stated late on Friday that the greatest progress in the talks on how to implement the Belgrade-Priština agreement on the normalization of mutual relations has been made in the field of judiciary, police and the functioning of Serb municipalities until the scheduling of local elections.

Đurić told journalists that the teams worked in six working groups and that slightly less progress was made in other fields, including electricity and telecommunications, but added that the dialogue on the matters will resume next week.

"If there is no deviation from the letter and spirit of the agreement, I can say that things are moving in the right direction," he noted.

Đurić pointed out that Belgrade's team wants to ensure "as greater personal and material security and political rights for Serbs in Kosovo as possible."

He pointed out that the international community's deadlines for the implementation of certain phases of the deal are short and that they will demand more realistic time limits at next meetings.

Head of Priština's team and Kosovo deputy prime minister Edita Tahiri also said that there has been some progress in the talks, qualifying as important that the Serbian side has agreed to remove the obstacles preventing Kosovo from getting an international calling code.

Neither Dejan Pavićević, who headed Belgrade's team in talks on telecommunications, nor other members of the team have confirmed this information.

Tahiri also confirmed that an agreement on the exchange of Belgrade and Priština's liaison officers has been made, adding that it should be carried out by June 17.