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Dacic: Stability in Balkans requires common Serbia-US interest (B92)

Ivica Dacic says his message in Washington this week was that there is no stability in the Balkans unless the US finds a common interest with Serbia.

The Serbian foreign minister and first deputy PM noted that the US "has some policy of its own, and is interested in the Russian influence in the region".

For the sake of stability in the region, the US should seek a minimum common of interests with our country, Dacic told RTS.

Serbian media: Maybe Condoleezza, and possibly Lavrov; EU: Belgrade and Pristina decide on the format

The Belgrade based daily Blic, in yesterday's edition, reported that if the US introduced Condoleezza Rice in the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, Serbia would be then suggesting Russia to enter the scene, along with Sergei Lavrov, the Russian head of diplomacy.

A source of Blic from the top of the government said that there were small chances that there would be a change in the format of the dialogue, but that Serbia will definitely not sit still.

Dacic on change of negotiation's format, Pristina's UN ambition (Tanjug, TV Prva, B92, RTS)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic says he does not believe that a change to the format of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is possible.

Speaking for Prva TV late on Monday, Dacic also said that he had no information that former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice could become her country's special envoy for the Balkans.

"I saw Condoleezza about 20 days ago in the UAE. I also met with John Kerry. They have been freed, so to speak, of their political obligations. She didn't tell me that she had such ambitions, and we spoke about it publicly," Dacic stressed.

Serbian foreign minister rejects U.S. call to choose between Russia and the West (Reuters

The largest of the states to emerge from the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Orthodox Christian and Slavic Serbia has natural affinity with Moscow, but it is keen to join the European Union.

This month, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Hoyt Brian Yee told Belgrade it “cannot sit on two chairs at the same time”. His remarks sparked sharp criticism in the Serbian capital.

Serbian FM says US diplomat's comments are "nonsense" (Beta, B92)

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has rejected the assessment of US diplomat Brian Hoyt Yee that Serbia was "sitting on two chairs."

Serbia is interested only in its own interests, Dacic said on Thursday.

Dacic told reporters in Belgrade that Serbia will continue to work in accordance with its state and national interests, "regardless of what they are saying, from the sidelines."

"Vucic-Yee meeting had two key points" – sources (Vecernje Novosti, Tanjug, B92)

The meeting on Tuesday between President Aleksandar Vucic and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Hoyt Brian Yee "could be summarized into two key points."

According to the Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti, these points are: deep disagreement over the issue of Kosovo and Metohija, and continuing pressure on Serbia to abandon its close relations with Russia.

Tanaskovic: USA will support Pristina from shadow (Tanjug, Blic)

If request for Kosovo’s accession to UNESCO becomes the topic again, USA would support it from the shadow, through other states it has close ties with, said the Serbian Ambassador to UNESCO, Darko Tanaskovic, Serbian media reported.

Tanaskovic, also said that the withdrawal of USA from UNESCO in any case does not go in favour of eventual new requests from the provisional institutions in Pristina.

UN chief will work with US despite UNESCO pullout (AFP)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will continue to work with the Trump administration despite differences, a spokesman said Thursday after Washington announced it was pulling out of UNESCO.

Guterres “deeply regrets” the decision but “at the same time of course we interact with the United States very productively on a range of issues through a range of organizations and will continue to do that,” said spokesman Farhan Haq.

“Haradinaj’s story for internal use” (Tanjug, KIM Radio)

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic said to Tanjug that the statements of Kosovo leaders “are intended for internal use” and this is how he sees the latest statement of Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj.

Haradinaj earlier stated there is no continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue without involvement of the USA.

“I would not comment on every Pristina’s statement, intended for internal use,” Dacic said referring to Haradinaj’s statement.

US pushing hard to make Kosovo Interpol member (Vecernje Novosti, B92)

Ahead of the Interpol General Assembly that will start on September 26, the US is "mustering all forces" to make Pristina a new member of the organization.

The Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti reported this, adding that the host of this year's assembly is China, and that in Beijing, Belgrade's arguments on this issue will be defended by a delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic.