Today's edition of Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti writes that there is less chance of fulfilling the Brussels plan to end the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina before the beginning of 2019, the article adds that Serbia does not adhere to a dictated solution and that the discussion about demarcation is not a taboo topic any more.
The US Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina told Radio Free Europe that the US supports the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and that there are no parallels between Kosovo, Serbia and Republika Srpska (RS).
"What we support when it comes to Kosovo is definitely a dialogue that is being conducted, which we believe should be conducted until a solution is reached that will be the result of a joint agreement between both sides. We certainly welcome the role of the EU in those talks," US Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack told RFE.
Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday that Serbia would not first accept the independence of Kosovo and then negotiate with Pristina, adding "that’s for sure," the Beta news agency reported.
After meeting his Cape Verde’s counterpart Luis Filipe Taveras in Belgrade, Ivica Dacic told reporters that "unilaterally declared independence (of Kosovo) was an illegal act."
"Our stand is that we don’t recognise Kosovo, an illegal creation."
EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn says that within the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, "territorial exchange" or "border correction" is not excluded as "the final part of the puzzle", reports Radio television of Serbia, quoting the FYROM's news agency MIA.
Vice President of the Serbian List Igor Simic says that the goal of the draft bill on the establishment of Kosovo Army is to create tensions after the visit of the Serbian president to Kosovo, but also to divert public attention from the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.
- Without the consent of deputies to the Serbian List and amending the Constitution, it is impossible to transform the security forces of Kosovo - emphasized Simic for TV Pink.
Croatian Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic-Buric met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Wednesday. Among other things, she spoke about the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and warned against the danger of redrawing the borders, Belgrade daily Blic reports, quoting Croatian news agency Hina.
Negotiations in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue must continue in order to achieve "a comprehensive normalization of relations, based on mutual consent and international law, which will be realistic and sustainable," spokeswoman for the European Commission Maja Kocijancic said in Brussels to reporters.
Spokeswoman of the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini added that there was a series of contacts with the presidents of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, on all open issues.
Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic spoke for Belgrade based TV Prva on Thursday morning, addressing Friday's continuation of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and the upcoming visit of President Aleksandar Vucic to Kosovo, reports Serbian media.
Asked if there would be a shift in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Dacic said:
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic assessed on Wednesday that Pristina's representatives do not want to discuss a single issue of essential importance.
Belgrade based daily Blic reports on the current attempt of opposition MPs in the Kosovo Assembly to ''ban'' Thaci with the resolution, with support of a part of the ruling coalition, to negotiate with Belgrade on the "correction of the borders".