Former EU High Representative Catherine Ashton under whose mediation the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue has started in 2012 said at the Belgrade Security Forum that neither side was requested to cross their red lines, RTS reports. She added the aim was to bring representatives of the both sides in the same room, at the same table.
Chairman of the Serbian Assembly Committee for KiM Milovan Drecun told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) that the purpose of the elections in Kosovo is to stabilize the Albanian political scene, to build an executive that will be more unified on key political issues and have a firmer position for talks with Belgrade.
Drecun adds that one cannot see willingness among existing Albanian leaders to sit at the negotiating table and seriously engage in talks with Serbia.
Dusan Janjic from the Forum for Ethnic Relations says a new format of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is likely to be created to include new players
Among others, it will include Russia.
In a statement given to Belgrade based daily Politika, he said that in addition to US Envoy Matthew Palmer, it is possible that Germany and France would appoint a joint representative, or that each of these countries has a representative.
If elections are called in Kosovo the meeting in Paris would most probably be postponed and won’t take place in September, Belgrade-based daily Blic reports referring to diplomatic sources.
During a recent visit to Serbia, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would organize the meeting with Serbian and Kosovo leaders, as well as German Chancellor Angela Merkel in order to “find a global and sustainable solution”.
Chairman of the Serbian National Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun told RTS in order to continue the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue it is necessary to revoke the tariffs and stronger engagement of the international community.
RTS recalled that EU Enlargement and Neighborly Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn said earlier resolution of the Kosovo issue is a priority for the international community and it is crucial for the development of an entire region. At the same time, the EU did not make Pristina revoke the tariffs so far.
France remains committed to having good relations with Serbia and will remain its friend, outgoing French Ambassador to Serbia Fredric Mondoloni told FoNet news agency. He underlined that the recent visit to Belgrade by French President Emmanuel Macron gave a fresh impulse to the development of the two countries’ relations, adding that his successor would be arriving very soon because Paris does not want to leave a vacuum following the visit.
Message of the US State Department official Philip Reeker that the US is ready to get involved in the process of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue diplomatic sources unofficially assessed as “America’s direct reaction” to the public initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to return the two sides to the negotiation table as soon as possible, including Macron’s effort to organize a new meeting on Kosovo in Paris in September, Danas daily reports.
French President Emmanuel Macron plans to appoint a special envoy for the Western Balkans, who would have an active role in resolving the Kosovo issue, Belgrade-based Blic daily reports today.
According to unofficial findings, President Macron has informed Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the plan during his visit to Serbia. The daily further continues Macron intents to actively engage in this region.
French Ambassador to Serbia Frederic Mondoloni said President Emmanuel Macron wants that France plays greater role in Serbia and the region, B92 reports.
According to Mondoloni media allegations on the future appointment of a special French envoy for the Balkans should be viewed in that context.
“President Macron wants that France plays its full role in the region and in Serbia (…). And for two years already he is very much engaged that France gets the place it belongs to it in the region, and in particular in friendly Serbia,” Mondoloni said in a press conference.
Former French Minister of European Affairs and current member of the European Parliament (EP) Nathalie Loiseau said on Tuesday the Balkan region “was not at all ready” to join the European Union, as the bloc was not fit to take in those countries, the Paris France Inter reported as carried by BETA news agency.