SERBIA: Serbia is ready to compromise but it would never accept presence of Kosovo's military in the Serbian-populated north, the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic told a news conference ahead of EU-sponsored talks between Belgrade and Pristina

Record ID: 858644

  • Title: SERBIA: Serbia is ready to compromise but it would never accept presence of Kosovo's military in the Serbian-populated north, the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic told a news conference ahead of EU-sponsored talks between Belgrade and Pristina
  • Date: 1st April 2013
  • Summary: BELGRADE, SERBIA (APRIL 1, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR PRESIDENCY BUILDING WINDOWS ON BUILDING WITH SERBIAN FLAG SERBIAN PRESIDENT, TOMISLAV NIKOLIC, ENTERING NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRESIDENT, TOMISLAV NIKOLIC, SAYING: "We are not sending a delegation to request, by ultimatum, the fulfilment of the Serbian constitution and laws, but also we are not sending a delegation to agree on nothing (for Kosovo Serbs)." PRESS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRESIDENT, TOMISLAV NIKOLIC, SAYING: "Serbia has been insisting that citizens in association of Serb municipalities (in the North) decide on police and judiciary. Also, Serbia has been requesting that the Kosovo army should never be deployed on territory of the association of (Serb) municipalities." MEDIA NIKOLIC LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Serbia
  • City:
  • Country: Serbia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADNOGXD4W8AX1QS620MGB45J9Z
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: The Serbian delegation will not insist on the Serbian constitution being followed to the letter at the EU- sponsored talks between Belgrade and Pristina, but at the same time it is not going to the talks to agree on nothing for the Kosovo Serbs, Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic said at news conference, just a day ahead of the talks.

    "We are not sending a delegation to request, by ultimatum, the fulfilment of the Serbian constitution and laws, but also we are not sending a delegation to agree on nothing (for Kosovo Serbs)," Serbian President , Tomislav Nikolic, said at news conference.
    Serbia does not recognise Kosovo's 2008 secession, but is under pressure from the European Union to improve ties and help overcome a split between Kosovo's Albanians and a Serb enclave in the north over which Belgrade retained de facto control. The status of the enclave is at the heart of EU-mediated talks aimed at "normalising ties" between the two countries.
    Serbia is ready to compromise but it would never accept presence of Kosovo's military in the Serbian-populated north.

    "Serbia has been insisting that citizens in association of Serb municipalities (in the North) decide on police and judiciary. Also, Serbia has been requesting that the Kosovo army should never be deployed on territory of the association of (Serb) municipalities," Serbian President, Tomislav Nikolic, added, at news conference.
    The Serb north's rejection of Kosovo sovereignty has left Kosovo split down ethnic lines, a war wound that has long dragged on the hopes of the Balkans to join Europe's mainstream and still carries the potential to destabilise the region.
    Now, in the low-key talks, Serbia and Kosovo appear to be on the cusp of a deal to end the partition, at least on paper.
    EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton wants an accord struck on Tuesday (April 02), during a meeting between Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovan counterpart, Hashim Thaci.
    That would open the door to EU membership talks with Serbia, a process that would drive reform and send a signal of stability to foreign investors looking at the biggest economy in the ex-Yugoslavia.
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