Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic received UNMIK head Zahir Tanin on Monday in Belgrade.

Nikolic "reiterat3e his position on the significance of the role of the UN Mission in Kosovo and Metohija and expressing the expectation that its scope would remain unchanged."

"After becoming the head of state, I fulfilled my promise to take the talks with Pristina to the highest political level. The discussions with Pristina are not about how the territory will gain independence but how to enable the citizens of Kosovo and Metohija to live better," Nikolic said.

Making Serbia's EU accession conditional on its recognition of Kosovo would be inappropriate, to say the least, since five EU member states have not recognized it, Nikolic stressed.

Nikolic expressed satisfaction with UNMIK's status-neutral role and efforts to solve the numerous problems on the ground, an official statement said.

Earlier in the day, Tanin was also received by Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic, and discussed "preparations for the upcoming UN SC meeting where a three-monthly report on the mission's work in Kosovo and Metohija will be debated," Tanjug reported.

Assessments of the current situation in Kosovo, UNMIK activities and the importance of further engagement of this mission in areas which are essential for the survival, normal and dignified life of Serbs and the members of other non-Albanian communities in the province were presented.

In particular, the importance of the mission in the context of the implementation of agreements reached in the dialogue in Brussels, as well as the engagement of UNMIK in all issues of significance for a consistent implementation of the UN SC Resolution 1244 (1999) were pointed out.

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