No solution without Pristina's concessions

"We are in such a moment when Pristina needs encouragement to be ready for compromise and concessions. Our commitment to a compromise will not be brought into question, but we cannot expect that our side will agree to be the only one to make concessions," presidential advisor Marko Djuric told reporters after the meeting. He said in this context that Serbia is urging all parties, which have an influence in the international community, to convey this message to the Pristina institutions since this is a moment when Pristina needs to show readiness for a compromise that is in the interest of both parties. “Great responsibility is on representatives of the international community, and we expect them to do that,” Djuric said. Moreover, it is not in Pristina's interest to be a hostage to a policy which is not ready for a dialogue, he said. Djuric stressed that Serbia will go to Monday talks with a defined strategy and a sincere desire for an agreement and compromise to be reached, and it is ready to negotiate constructively on all elements of regulation of the relations in the province based in the principles adopted in the Resolution on Kosovo-Metohija. As he put it, Serbia has a clear concept about forming a community of Serb municipalities which would have jurisdictions in many spheres of life, such as justice system, police and education, and is ready for serious talks. "We believe it is possible for the representatives of the international community to now send a message to Pristina that it should be ready to make concessions in order for compromise to be reached. This is the crucial crossroads in the talks," Djuric stressed. Djuric reiterated a few times that Pristina should be encouraged to be more ready for open talks, which sometimes imply substantial concessions, but lead to realization of key interests of both parties. When asked whether the talks can fail, Djuric said that there is no danger that Serbia will give up on the effort to reach a compromise on the establishment of the community of Serb municipalities and greatest guarantees for political and other rights not only of Serbs, but also of other communities. He also said that Friday's meeting discussed the EU integration, adding that by April 16 (when the European Commission will publish its report on Serbia's progress on the EU path) there will be no formal or factual reasons for not giving the country a date for the start of EU accession talks. “Serbia is ready to fulfill all requests from the conclusions of the EU Council,” Djuric said. The meeting at President Tomislav Nikolic's office was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, First Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, Serbian president's foreign policy advisor Marko Djuric, Director of the Office for Kosovo-Metohija Aleksandar Vulin and Minister of Finance a