Belgrade and Pristina agree to continue high level meetings

Belgrade and Pristina agree to continue high level meetings

Speaking to reporters, Vucic said that the negotiations were "exceptionally difficult" and that "certain things have been achieved" through a conversation "about the things on which the positions are exceptionally opposed."

"We managed to, with EU's support, agree to continue the dialogue, a series of high level dialogues, in the coming period. The agreement is also such that we should all lower tensions and try to behave responsibly, and to, either not talk about it or talk in a more serious way, not saying anything bad about the other side," he has been quoted as saying.

Vucic then said that "when it comes to Belgrade" he would "personally ask each minister and state official to behave that way," and added that he "believes Belgrade would keep its word."

"Leadership and vision"

In a statement published after the meeting in Brussels, Federica Mogherini thanked the participants for "the open and very constructive meeting" dedicated to "the developments over the past days."

She said that they "agreed to leave the tensions behind and to focus on the work ahead."

"I underlined that progress in the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is essential: for Kosovo and Serbia, for the European Union itself, and the Western Balkans region as a whole. Advancing in the dialogue is key for both sides in moving forward on their respective paths towards the European Union. I am encouraged by the leadership, vision, commitment and engagement shown by the political leaders today to address and solve issues of mutual concern through the dialogue," Mogherini said.

Both sides agreed to take the dialogue forward in a spirit of respect, cooperation and mutual understanding, she added.

"Discussions between the sides will intensify over the next days. We decided to have a series of rounds of the high level Dialogue, starting from the coming days.I want to thank once more the presidents and prime ministers for their openness and their strong commitment to the Dialogue. We will now take the agreed work forward constructively and concretely for the benefit of all people in Serbia and in Kosovo, advancing concretely on their European paths," said Mogherini, and concluded:

"I as a facilitator of the Dialogue will continue to be constantly personally involved in supporting the full implementation of today's outcome, of agreements already reached and of further progress in normalization of relations between the two sides."