German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb once again expressed the view that Germany is concerned and sceptical about the idea of exchanging territories, because that solution, as he said, could create even bigger problems in the medium and long term, Belgrade based daily Blic reports.
Normalization of Belgrade and Pristina relations would contribute to the regional stability, but Germany is sceptic about any potential changes of borders between Serbia and Kosovo, newly appointed German Ambassador to Serbia, Thomas Schieb said in an interview to Belgrade-based daily Danas.
“The European Union made it clear: Serbia can join the EU only after it settles the issues it has with Kosovo. We are very sceptical regarding any changes of borders based on ethnicity,” he said, adding that German Chancellor Angela Merkel has recently expressed this position several times.
Senator Johnson came to inspect the situation, see what possibilities and ideas are for reaching an agreement, and he returns to Washington with conclusions that will decisively affect the final US position on Kosovo, says to Radio Television Serbia (RTS), Stefan Surlic, the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade.
He told RTS that the United States sent a clear message during the visit that they are flexible, for two reasons.
France, like Germany, is against the "delimitation" between Belgrade and Pristina, reports today Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti.
Vecernje Novosti sources point out that the opposition was expressed to any change in borders or administrative lines in the region during a conference of ambassadors held last week, which was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron. Paris's position is even tougher than Berlin's position, the daily reports.
American Wall Street Journal (WSJ) daily and Brussels portal EUobserver reported on the informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers on August 30-31 in Vienna.
The American paper said that US and Germany were on the opposite sides when it came to a plan about border change between Serbia and Kosovo and solving one of the last major territorial disputes in Europe.
German Ambassador to Serbia, Axel Dittmann said his country supports the meeting of Aleksandar Vucic and Hashim Thaci on Sunday, since resolving relations with neighbours, in addition to reforms, modernization and the rule of law, are EU requests towards Serbia, BETA news agency reported.
Responding to a question on the possibility that a special negotiator Federica Mogherini is replaced by somebody else, Ambassador Dittmann responded it is not true.
Germany has a proposal that a special representative of the EU leads the Belgrade-Pristina negotiations in Brussels instead of the head of EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini, Belgrade based daily Blic writes today.
In recent months, it has been reported about a new format of the dialogue, in which America would be included as a consultant, which would correspond to Pristina, but also Russia, which is the idea of Belgrade.
Before to joining the EU, Serbia must solve the problem with Kosovo, and a quick solution would be good for everyone.
That is what the ambassador of Germany to Serbia, Axel Dittmann, told Filip Cukanovic and b92.net on Monday in Belgrade.
Dittmann also spoke about the construction of the new German embassy in Belgrade, Germany's defeat in the first game they played at the World Cup in Russia - and revealed when Serbia might be close to joining the EU...
Former Romanian President Traian Bssescu says that Bucharest is under pressure from Germany to recognize Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence, reports Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti.
Basescu said in a statement to Romanian television B1 that Germany was pressing all five EU countries that did not recognize Kosovo's independence to do so.
Romania, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia were under pressure to take such a step, specified Basescu, the daily reported.
The Serbian List announces that the delegation would have talks with the Serbian Diaspora and the Director of the Austrian Development Agency and discuss about possibilities of investment in the Serb majority areas in Kosovo, reports Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti.