Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic have both implied today that the dialogue’s result will not be Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo.
Speaking from Nish on Tuesday, Vucic confirmed Serbia’s willingness to sit in talks, but warned that the country would not put up with ultimatums from Kosovo, including the latter’s expectation to be recognized by Serbia.
“We are ready to talk, but we will not put up with the ultimatums from Pristina, which we hear every day that the only condition is the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia or presenting other wishes and territorial pretensions, I just smile at that because you cannot show arrogance towards big powers”, Vucic reportedly told journalists.
He said that Serbia will be able to say “No” to proposals for a deal, if its interests were endangered, until “some solution will come by when we could say: ‘Yes’. However, I haven’t seen that yet,” Vucic concluded.
Vucic told Radio Free Europe last week that he was not sure what the essence of the dialogue with Kosovo would be, since Serbia considers Kosovo part of its territory. He added that he would make no proposals for a deal but would just wait what the other side has to propose.
Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic also emphasized that Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo is not going to happen.
Tanjug news agency reported that, in response to Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci’s expectation to get Serbia’s recognition as an outcome from the dialogue, Dacic said that’s not gonna happen.
“If it’s about recognition or nothing, then it’s nothing. Let’s be completely clear,” Dacic told journalists from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added that Serbia wants a dialogue result that would guarantee lasting peace and stability.
