Ljajic: Dialogue at critical stage

Ljajic said that it is possible that there will be a turnaround in the coming days and that a compromise will still be reached, because Serbia is open for dialogue and "strong diplomatic activity at all levels" is underway. "We are at a critical stage. (Belgrade and Pristina's) Positions are really far apart. Serbia has demonstrated absolute readiness to reach a sustainable and lasting solution. On the other hand, Pristina wants to implement its constitution and laws and present this as an offer for Belgrade and the Serb community in Kosovo. If they think this is a solution, then we should not have had these talks at all. There is no agreement if one party loses everything while the other gets everything. This can only create a seed of future conflict," Ljajic told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje novosti. He added that, when the EU and Pristina make their offer, the Serbian prime minister should come before the parliament and present in detail what is offered to Serbia and whether and why this offer is acceptable or unacceptable. It is also important for the parliament to comment on the most important national issue. Ljajic said that freezing of the conflict would be of no use to either Belgrade or Pristina. The deputy prime minister pointed out that, if Serbia does not get a date for the start of the EU accession talks in June, it should not give up on its EU integration or stop searching for a solution to the Kosovo issue. As he put it, Serbia has already deserved to obtain a date for the beginning of pre-accession negotiations with Brussels. "From the administrative and technical side, we are absolutely ready for the start of pre-accession talks, and we have given our maximum in the negotiations with Pristina and implementation of agreements," Ljajic, who is also Minister of Trade and Telecommunications, said.