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European Western Balkans
Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue

Mogherini: New meeting by the end of the month; Thaçi: It was not a boycott

Federica Mogherini in Sarajevo © European Union , 2017 / Photo: Elvis Barukcic

BRUSSELS – EU High Representative Federica Mogherini announced today, after separate meetings with Presidents of Kosovo and Serbia Hahsim Thaçi and Aleksandar Vučić, that difficulties still exist, as well as that the next high-level meeting will be held before the annual United Nations General Assembly session (final week of September).

She stated that multiple  rounds of bilateral dialogue with both Presidents took place, during which every topic was discussed.

“There are still difficulties”, European External Action Service press release reads.

She added that she believes in full commitment of both Presidents to the continuation of negotiations and reaching a legally binding agreement on comprehensive normalisation of relations in accordance with international law.

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi said that even though there was no trilateral meeting, this cannot be qualified as a “boycott” since talks with Belgrade were held, albeit indirectly, via High Representative Mogherini.

“We had bilateral meetings with Federica Mogherini and Serbia had its own bilateral meetings. Some other time we will have trilateral meetings. We negotiated, and Mrs Mogherini mediated, but we saw that differences are too big”, Thaçi stated in Brussels.

He said that an agreement was reached with Vučić that the problems have to be resolved in the coming period.

“As for Vučić’s visit to Kosovo, Kosovo has its own institutions. It is an independent and sovereign country and we will completely respect the agreed plan of the visit. We are not here to undermine anyone, we will only follow the plan to the letter”, said Thaçi.

He emphasised that citizens of Serbia and Kosovo will have to decide about the final agreement, which only makes sense if it includes mutual recognition.

“When it comes to border correction, an inner dialogue in Kosovo was launched, and I hope it will lead to demarcation of the 430 km long border with Serbia and mutual recognition. There will be no place for tragedies, the agreement will let the people to remain in their family homes”, Thaçi stated.

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