Kukan:Belgrade-Pristina dialogue perhaps on Monday
Chair of the Delegation for relations with South-East Europe Eduard Kukan has said that rejecting the Brussels agreement is not bad for Serbia and qualified as important that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue will continue, according to unofficial sources, perhaps as early as on Monday or Tuesday.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Friday, April 12, 2013
Kukan told Belgrade-based daily Kurir that the expectations of the eighth round of the Brussels talks on the key issue - powers of majority- Serb municipalities in Kosovo - were great, but added that he would not consider a failure if agreement was not reached.
He believes this would not be a failure of either the Serbian government or the European diplomacy, and pointed out that is it important that the dialogue has not finished.
I believe it is better to reach an agreement that would be endurable and sustainable than some deal that would be made under the current pressure, he said.
Kukan added that he heard unofficially that the talks might continue on Monday or Tuesday. The fact that Serbia rejected the offered agreement ahead of a decision on granting the country a date for the opening of EU accession talks is not bad and does not necessarily mean that all chances are ruined, he said.
It is important that you defend your positions, but with arguments, Kukan noted. He also said it would not be a tragedy if Serbia did not get the date in June. The fulfillment of conditions should be the most important issue, not this. However, you should not give up, he pointed out.
The Serbian government decided on Monday to seek an urgent resumption of the EU-mediated dialogue with Pristina.
Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said that the government cannot accept the principles verbally presented to its negotiating team, because they do not guarantee safety, survival and human rights protection to Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija.
The report of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Serbia's fulfillment of the conditions for getting the date, whose content depends on the results of the dialogue on Kosovo-Metohija, will be released on April 16.
He believes this would not be a failure of either the Serbian government or the European diplomacy, and pointed out that is it important that the dialogue has not finished.
I believe it is better to reach an agreement that would be endurable and sustainable than some deal that would be made under the current pressure, he said.
Kukan added that he heard unofficially that the talks might continue on Monday or Tuesday. The fact that Serbia rejected the offered agreement ahead of a decision on granting the country a date for the opening of EU accession talks is not bad and does not necessarily mean that all chances are ruined, he said.
It is important that you defend your positions, but with arguments, Kukan noted. He also said it would not be a tragedy if Serbia did not get the date in June. The fulfillment of conditions should be the most important issue, not this. However, you should not give up, he pointed out.
The Serbian government decided on Monday to seek an urgent resumption of the EU-mediated dialogue with Pristina.
Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said that the government cannot accept the principles verbally presented to its negotiating team, because they do not guarantee safety, survival and human rights protection to Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija.
The report of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton on Serbia's fulfillment of the conditions for getting the date, whose content depends on the results of the dialogue on Kosovo-Metohija, will be released on April 16.
