Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said today that Turkey’s position on Kosovo is in line with its interests, which are different from Serbian ones, but that a major step forward is that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will accept any solution that Belgrade and Pristina reach.
Asked by a reporter addressed to the Turkish president – does he now understand better than before that solutions are not good where one gets everything and the other nothing – Vucic said that Turkey acted in accordance with its interests and that Serbia would not get anything good, nor will be smarter if it lectures Turkey.
“Our interests in this matter are still different, but I thank him for that and it is a major step forward, accepting that any possible solution we would reach with the Albanians would be acceptable to Turkey,” Vucic said.
He added that as a good host he had to answer the question .
He stressed that he was proud of his friendship with Turkey and good relations and was convinced that they would only get better.
“Do we differ on the issue of Kosovo, yes we do, but that does not mean that we do not respect each other, on the contrary,” Vucic added.
He adds that Erdogan, in part because of him and their relationship, very carefully chooses words when talking about the Balkans, relations between Belgrade and Pristina and relations with BiH, and that he is particularly grateful to him.
“Like when I talk with a great care in talking about Turkey and the relations it can have with other countries, it is, I think, a fair, responsible and cautious relationship,” Vucic said.
Erdogan then thanked Vucic for this response.
“My friend gave the most appropriate answer,” Erdogan said.
