BELGRADE - No remains were found at the first searched location in the village of Piskota near Djakovica, southwestern Kosovo-Metohija, which is believed to contain bodies of 20 Serb civilians killed in the prison camp of Likovac, Serbia's War Crimes Prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic told Tanjug on Wednesday.

For now, by the first order of EULEX, 30 meters have been dug over and searched at the location that is the size of a stadium, but the search will continue, Vukcevic said, noting that the remains of (Albanian) victims were found in Rudnica near Raska in the seventh attempt.

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA - KFOR is playing a key role in establishing stability in northern Kosovo-Metohija, it was concluded on Tuesday in a meeting between the KFOR Commander, Major General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, and North Mitrovica Mayor Goran Rakic.

The meeting in Kosovska Mitrovica dealt with the security and economic situation in northern Kosovo-Metohija, KFOR stated in a release.

As Rakic underscored, KFOR is an important actor that is playing a key role in establishing stability in this area and creating conditions for a secure and prosperous environment.

BELGRADE - The EU expects Serbia to slowly join its positions, says Ernst Reichel, the German Foreign Office Special Envoy for South-Eastern Europe, Turkey and the EFTA States.

A common expectation of all EU member states is that Serbia should slowly join the EU positions - there are important and less important issues, and an issue such as the territorial integrity of Ukraine is a significant issue of this era, Reichel said in a statement to Tanjug late Wednesday on the fringes of the 4th Belgrade Security Forum.

BELGRADE - Director of the Serbian government’s Office for Kosovo-Metohija (KiM) Marko Djuric said during talks he had with representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Wednesday that the Serbian government appreciates the contribution the OSCE Mission in KiM was making to help normalize relations and improve the conditions of life in the province.

BELGRADE - Kosovo's Deputy Minister of Interior Sasa Rasic has said that the situation with Kosovo citizens going off to fight for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was very dangerous.

"The situation is critical, and the action we recently took shows that we are dealing with it seriously. A large number of people involved in recruitment, going off to fight in Syria and Iraq and indoctrination related to Islamic extremism were arrested," he told Tanjug at the 4th Belgrade Security Forum.

NEW YORK - Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic underscored on Thursday in talks with NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow that the presence of international forces is of key importance for stability and security in Kosovo and Metohija (KiM).

At a meeting with Vershbow on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Dacic pointed to the importance of overall good communication with NATO, and consultations in relation to Serbia's forthcoming chairmanship of the OSCE, the ministry of foreign affairs stated.

Jadranka Joksimovic expressed the belief on Thursday that Serbia will open the first negotiating chapter by the end of the year.

Serbian Minister without portfolio in charge of European Integration, Jadranka Joksimovic, expressed the belief on Thursday that Serbia will open the first negotiating chapter by the end of the year, noting that this step would serve as an additional encouragement to Serbia's efforts by the European Commission.