Dacic: Serbia ready for agreement without mediator
Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic stated that the government is doing all it can to resolve the Kosovo issue and continue the country's European integration at the same time.
(kosovocompromisestuff) Saturday, April 13, 2013
The government is working on the achievement of both goals so that Serbian citizens, including those in Kosovo, could resume normal life, Dacic said in an interview for the Belgrade-based daily Danas.
He expressed the belief that Belgrade would continue the talks with Pristina even without mediation because there is no other way to resolve the Kosovo issue.
Dacic said that it is wrong and dangerous to bring the (lack of) agreement with Pristina with the date of Serbia's EU accession talks.
In an interview upon his return from Moscow, Dacic underscored the strong support of Russia to the policy of the Serbian government.
"Russia is Serbia's friend, precisely such as we need today. When we make a decision, Russia will back us but we will never ask Russia to make a decision instead of us," Dacic said.
He added that the Serbian delegation returned from Moscow with an awareness of a new friendship and the belief that Russia's assistance will not fail, when the need for it comes.
Dacic noted that Russia's economic assistance is the key factor in Serbia's further growth and development. The assistance is essential to Serbian national interests today and it is provided through favourable loans and investments such as that for the South Stream pipeline and opening of the Russian market for Serbian products and goods produced in Serbia such as Fiat cars.
Dacic added that it is only logical for Serbia to consult Russia concerning important issues such as that of Kosovo, but Belgrade is willing to continue direct talks with Pristina even without a mediator.
He recalled that the issue concerning the jurisdiction of the community of Serb municipalities remains unresolved, and that it has not been decided who will be in charge of protection, trials, education and medical care for Serbs in Kosovo.
"This very fact constitutes a considerable progress and it shows that a solution is possible," Dacic said.
The Serbian prime minister agreed with the assessment voiced by Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci that an agreement would be a defeat of Serbia and Kosovo, noting that it would also imply a continuation of the emergency situation in everyone, both in Serbia and in Kosovo.
"We need to complete this and restore everything to its normal state. We need to make it possible both for Serbs and ethnic Albanians to live in Kosovo" Dacic noted.
He expressed the belief that Belgrade would continue the talks with Pristina even without mediation because there is no other way to resolve the Kosovo issue.
Dacic said that it is wrong and dangerous to bring the (lack of) agreement with Pristina with the date of Serbia's EU accession talks.
In an interview upon his return from Moscow, Dacic underscored the strong support of Russia to the policy of the Serbian government.
"Russia is Serbia's friend, precisely such as we need today. When we make a decision, Russia will back us but we will never ask Russia to make a decision instead of us," Dacic said.
He added that the Serbian delegation returned from Moscow with an awareness of a new friendship and the belief that Russia's assistance will not fail, when the need for it comes.
Dacic noted that Russia's economic assistance is the key factor in Serbia's further growth and development. The assistance is essential to Serbian national interests today and it is provided through favourable loans and investments such as that for the South Stream pipeline and opening of the Russian market for Serbian products and goods produced in Serbia such as Fiat cars.
Dacic added that it is only logical for Serbia to consult Russia concerning important issues such as that of Kosovo, but Belgrade is willing to continue direct talks with Pristina even without a mediator.
He recalled that the issue concerning the jurisdiction of the community of Serb municipalities remains unresolved, and that it has not been decided who will be in charge of protection, trials, education and medical care for Serbs in Kosovo.
"This very fact constitutes a considerable progress and it shows that a solution is possible," Dacic said.
The Serbian prime minister agreed with the assessment voiced by Kosovo Prime Minister Hasim Taci that an agreement would be a defeat of Serbia and Kosovo, noting that it would also imply a continuation of the emergency situation in everyone, both in Serbia and in Kosovo.
"We need to complete this and restore everything to its normal state. We need to make it possible both for Serbs and ethnic Albanians to live in Kosovo" Dacic noted.
