Koha Ditore’s cover story reports that Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi fulfilled part of his obligations Wednesday to the Kosovo Parliament by informing them about his first meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic in the office EU High Representative Baroness Catherine Ashton. Thaçi, however, did not reveal many details on topics discussed.

Thaçi told MPs that topics proposed by Ashton, with which Dacic agreed, were not related to Kosovo’s status. According to him, the main topic was the practical implementation of all agreements that Kosovo and Serbia have reached in Brussels. Another important topic continues to be the agreement for the Integrated Border Management (IBM), whichSerbiahas yet to sign.

Thaçi listed the topics, which include revealing the fate of missing persons, dismissal and removal of Serbian-financed parallel structures from Kosovo, not obstructing Kosovo’s membership into international organizations and forums, protecting Serb cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo, and reaching agreements in areas of telecommunication and energy, according to European standards.

Although he rejected any possible talks about Kosovo’s internal arrangements, Thaçi said that one of the topics put on the table is the finalization of the decentralization process in Kosovo, which implies the need to establish the new municipality of northern Mitrovica and free elections in that part of the country.

Thaçi said he is expected to meet Dacic again this month, and that he expects talks to be more specific. Unofficially it has been said that this meeting will take place on 7 November.

Thaçi ensured deputies that there will be Kosovar customs - Kosovar police and EULEX - at border points, in accordance with President Atifete Jahjaga’s invitation and the new mandate received by this mission. Thaçi received the support of the majority of MPs, except from Vetëvendosje who called the meeting with Dacic criminal.

Agreement on liaison offices (Express – front page)

Leaders of Kosovo andSerbiamight reach the agreement to open the liaison offices in Pristina andBelgradeon Wednesday. Sources of Express claimed that this agreement might be reached in the next meeting between the Prime Ministers ofSerbiaand Kosovo. According to the source, possibilities for agreement between Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic are great, considering the readiness of both leaders to make difficult decisions. “Opening of the liaison offices was requested by both Secretary Clinton and Baroness Ashton during the meetings that they had with Dacic in Belgrade and with Thaçi in Pristina,” said the source.

Mustafa: North cannot be divided (Express – page 5)

The Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, met on Thursday with the Ambassador of Turkey in Kosovo, Songul Ozan, where he stated that the international community should increase pressure inSerbia, to remove its illegal structures in Kosovo. According to a press release issued by LDK, Mustafa stated that LDK insists on precise implementation of the agreement signed between the leaders of LDK, PDK and AKR, and guaranteed by the U.S. Embassy, otherwise the trust among parties would be lost and this would endanger development of democracy in the country.

Ambassador Ozan stressed that there will be no change of borders in the Balkans any more, and in this context the northern part of Kosovo is an undivided part of Kosovo and it should be treated within the frames of Ahtisaari’s package.

They do not give up (Express – page 6)

Messages of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton concerning the sovereignty and integrity of Kosovo were clear for everyone, including the Serbs in the north, however they will continue to resist.  This was stated by Serb politicians in the north, for Radio Free Europe. Oliver Ivanovic, former official of the Serbian Government, said thatClinton’s statement represents the position of theUnited States, who have already made it clear that they would not give up the state of Kosovo. According to him, Serbs in the north expected this position; however he added that presence of Clinton together with the chief of European diplomacy Catherine Ashton, shows a joint approach and position on Kosovo issue, which according to him, is an open issue. “There will be no set back from our side. Kosovo as such will not be accepted as a state and as long asSerbia has this position, this will significantly impact the position of the other members of the Security Council,” said Ivanovic.

Dragisa Krstovic, a politician from Zvecan, stated that resistance in the north will continue. “The same policy which considers Kosovo a part ofSerbia, continues in the north,” said Krstovic.

Kadri Veseli joins PDK (Koha Ditore – page 4)

Kadri Veseli will join the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) on Friday. Veseli will be equipped with the membership card in Mitrovica. At about 10:00 hrs, the former chief of the Kosovo Intelligence Service (SHIK) will receive his membership card at the PDK branch in Bair, a source told the paper. He will state there that he accepts the program and statute of PDK and he will fill up the membership sheet.

The same source said that during the day, the leadership of the branch will accept his membership and Veseli’s name will be listed in the member registry. Sources also said that Veseli does not aim to lead the party.

Rexhepi: Serbs must pay customs (Epoka e Re – page 7)

Kosovo’s Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi said on Thursday at Kosovo Parliament that vehicles are not allowed to be registered without paying excise duties and customs, including the vehicles in the north. “Continuing to register vehicles has been permanent and from July this year they don’t have the right of movement in the territory of Kosovo also with new illegal number plates, nor with the old ones, but still we made it possible for them to apply for different reasons and the commission verifies and equips them with license plates with RKS and KS on them. Everyone that wants to obtain license plates it will have the possibility to do so. We could not break our laws and to allow imports without paying customs and excise duties including for the vehicles in the north,” Rexhepi said.

Government announces denunciation of “Jovic” case (Koha Ditore – page 3)

The kidnapping of Slavoljub Jovic in northern Mitrovica on Wednesday morning along with his appearance in front of a Military Court in Kraljevo, Serbia only a few hours later, has left many questions unanswered. Suspicions that he was caught by Serbian gendarmerie or other mechanisms of this country that operate in the north of Kosovo are being investigated by Kosovo Police and EULEX. However, the Government did not consider the case as a serious violation of territorial integrity of Kosovo, or of UN Resolution 1244. “We are in contact with competent authorities. If arresting was made by Serbian authorities, and it appears that this is the case, then this is a serious violation of the sovereignty of the Republic and we will officially denounce it,” said Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi.

Protest against Radulovic arrest, no mention of Jovic (Zëri – page 5)

Hundreds of Serbs in northern Mitrovica protested yesterday against the arrest of Ivan Radulovic, driver of the so-called chief of the District of Mitrovica, last week at the Jarinje border crossing. Protesters however did not mention the arrest of Slavoljub (Pagi) Jovic, who was arrested by Serbian Gendarmerie on Wednesday morning in northern Mitrovica. Only the branch of the DSS led by hardliner Vojislav Kostunica reacted against Jovic’s arrest and demanded an explanation from the director of Serbian Police.

OSCE: Incidents prevent return of displaced persons (Koha Ditore – page 4)

International authorities continue to believe that the Kosovo Government is not making sufficient strides to integrate displaced persons. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo on Thursday published a report entitled “Evaluation of voluntary return process in Kosovo” that highlights how, despite encouraging developments in the political and institutional framework for the protection and promotion of rights of displaced persons and returnees, incidents in a number of places of returnees still exist and have a negative impact on the returns process. Although the report welcomes the engagement of institutions to step up the coordination of the returns process by establishing municipal offices for communities and returnees, in most municipalities the lack of sustainable solutions makes around 235,000 displaced persons from Kosovo to continue being a big challenge for all parties involved.