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Minister on "reconciling with US" and new Kosovo mediators (B92)

Jadranka Joksimovic says that "inviting global powers" to join the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue represents "a reflection of provincialism."

"I'm sorry to hear that the Atlantic Council thinks the US and Serbia have had such bad relations until now, that a historic reconciliation needs to occur," the Serbian minister for EU Integration also said on Wednesday, adding:

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.

Atlantic Council proposes new US strategy for Balkans (B92, VoA)

The Atlantic Council will publish a report on the new US strategy for the Balkans.

According to Voice of America, it proposes establishing a permanent US military presence in Southeast Europe, advocates for "historic reconciliation" with Serbia and renewal of the reputation of the United States as a true mediator.

FM Dacic explains why he won't receive Ukraine's ambassador (B92, Tanjug)

The Serbian Foreign Ministry (MFA) said on Tuesday it remained committed to overcoming disagreements and enhancing bilateral relations with Ukraine.

This comes despite the insistence by Ukraine's ambassador to Belgrade on the stance that Russia is using Serbia to create chaos and provoke a war in the Balkans, Tanjug reported, citing a press release issued by the MFA.

EU on US involvement in Kosovo dialogue: "We work closely" (B92)

We are working very closely with the United States in the Western Balkans, Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the European Union, told b92.net on Tuesday.

According to her, this also applies to "the question of (Belgrade-Pristina) dialogue on the normalization of relations."

"Republic of Kosovo' project is obviously failing" (B92, Tanjug)

Russian and Chinese ambassadors spoke in favor of continuing the UNMIK mission in Kosovo, during Tuesday's UN Security Council session dedicated to its work.

At the same time, representatives of France, Great Britain and the United States called for it be abolished.

Russia's Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said Moscow disagrees with the "very optimistic assessment" presented during the meeting by the Kosovo ambassador to the United States.

Serbian FM - "They thought Balkan borders could be redrawn" (Tanjug, Sputnik, B92)

World power centers have overplayed their hand when they thought it was possible to redraw borders in the Balkans since it is not a part of the EU.

Serbian Foreign Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said this in a statement for the Russian daily Izvestia, Sputnik and other Serbian media are reporting.

Dacic added that this behavior was "a shining example of double standards and hypocrisy of world politics".

We have "big hole" in diplomatic relations – FM (B92, TV Pink)

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic thinks Serbia has a "big hole in diplomatic relations, because it underestimates some countries" - that are her friends.

Speaking for TV Pink, Dacic said this concerns those countries to whom "(Yugoslav president) Tito still means something," and who have "great positive memories from past relations with Yugoslavia."

"If you never go to Bangladesh in 20 years, then they lose the understanding that some issues are important for you," the minister said.

EU sources comment on US diplomat's statements about Serbia (B92, BETA)

Recent statements made by US State Department official Brian Hoyt Yee are "his views, that have not been not harmonized with the EU".

This is what EU sources in Brussels told Beta on Tuesday.

Yee was in Belgrade in late October when he said that that Serbia will not progress on its path toward the EU unless it gives up its ties with Russia.

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.