Deadline for Belgrade, Pristina response next week
Belgrade and Pristina should inform EU High Representative Catherine Ashton by the start of the next week whether they accept the agreement, after which she will compose a report on the progress in the dialogue which will be crucial for the decision on Serbia's starting date for the EU accession talks, Tanjug was told by a European diplomat on condition of anonymity.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Following her visit to Turkey this week and Kazakhstan, Ashton is due to start preparing the report for the ministerial meeting on April 22, the source said.
The stake is great, and we believe that it is still possible to reach an agreement, the source said.
Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson of High Representative Ashton, told Tanjug that at the moment concrete proposals for solutions are on the table, and that now both parties have returned to their capitals to consult about the proposals, noting that April 16 is the beginning of the week when the report on the progress in the dialogue should be finalized.
However, Kocijancic did not give a concrete answer to whether another meeting, at least an informal one, will be held before April 16, but reiterated that Ashton has said that she is not planning another negotiating round.
The spokesperson said that Belgrade and Pristina will be in touch with Aston in the coming days, and that they will inform her about their decisions.
"I cannot speculate what will happen exactly, but it is clear that Ashton has to make a report this month. We want the agreement to be reached, and we have done all in our might, now is the time for both sides to make decisions, but I think that we have quite clearly said that what we can do and what we have to do," Kocijancic said.
The eight round of the dialogue in Brussels ended without an agreement on Tuesday evening, and the mediator in the dialogue, Catherine Ashton, said that for her the political dialogue is finished, and that she expects from Belgrade and Pristina to inform her about their decisions.
The stake is great, and we believe that it is still possible to reach an agreement, the source said.
Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson of High Representative Ashton, told Tanjug that at the moment concrete proposals for solutions are on the table, and that now both parties have returned to their capitals to consult about the proposals, noting that April 16 is the beginning of the week when the report on the progress in the dialogue should be finalized.
However, Kocijancic did not give a concrete answer to whether another meeting, at least an informal one, will be held before April 16, but reiterated that Ashton has said that she is not planning another negotiating round.
The spokesperson said that Belgrade and Pristina will be in touch with Aston in the coming days, and that they will inform her about their decisions.
"I cannot speculate what will happen exactly, but it is clear that Ashton has to make a report this month. We want the agreement to be reached, and we have done all in our might, now is the time for both sides to make decisions, but I think that we have quite clearly said that what we can do and what we have to do," Kocijancic said.
The eight round of the dialogue in Brussels ended without an agreement on Tuesday evening, and the mediator in the dialogue, Catherine Ashton, said that for her the political dialogue is finished, and that she expects from Belgrade and Pristina to inform her about their decisions.
