Ashton to visit Belgrade on Thursday
EU High Representative Catherine Ashton will visit Belgrade on Thursday, March 14, in order to continue talks ahead of the next round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina scheduled for March 20, said Serbia's Prime Minister Ivica Dacic.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Wednesday, March 13, 2013
"If it seems like there is room to continue talks and reach an agreement in Brussels on March 20, Ashton will come to Belgrade after her meeting in Pristina," Dacic told a news conference.
He added that EU is understanding of Belgrade's positions, but Pristina will not consent to changing its laws in order to adopt the proposal about competencies of Serb municipalities.
The prime minister noted Belgrade is satisfied with Monday's meeting in Brussels, and reiterated that Serbia deserves a date for opening accession talks with the EU, but cannot go beyond it its red lines.
Dacic once again said progress in the dialogue with Pristina is a prerequisite for getting the date, and this is what Serbian officials discussed with Ashton.
The state leaders said in the meeting that "there is not a single Serb who would accept more," he noted.
Dacic also urged EU member countries, such as France and Italy, with which Serbia has strategic partnership agreements, to help Belgrade and Pristina reaching an agreement, and appealed to the United States "not to side with the Albanians so much."
