Brussels, 05/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 4 December, the prime ministers from Serbia, Ivica Dacic, and Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, met in Brussels as part of the dialogue for normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. They agreed on several points including setting up integrated border management (IBM), High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said in a press release.
Saying that they had reviewed progress made on the implementation of the agreement on IBM, Ashton explained that the prime ministers had confirmed the conclusions of the IBM working group. In accordance with these conclusions, two gates are now ready and will be operational on Monday 10 December. Two others will be ready on 31 December. Kosovo has made its border management a major issue - in particular in the north, where the minority Serb population does not recognise the authority of Kosovo.
Another important point of progress is that Dacic and Thaçi agreed to each appoint a liaison officer. “To begin with, as part of the EU's facilitating role, the EU Delegation in Belgrade and the EU Office in Pristina will provide the liaison office for the liaison officers”, Ashton said.
Dacic and Thaçi will also look into the means to ensure a transparent flow of money that Serbia gives to help the Serb community in Kosovo. Thaçi confirmed that a special unit within the multiethnic police unit of the Kosovo police was in place to ensure the protection of religious and cultural heritage - a problem which weighs on the north of Kosovo.
The two leaders also agreed to intensify cooperation between the respective commissions for missing persons. After an initial exchange on 4 December, they agreed to the continuation of work on energy and telecoms at the level of experts.
Dacic, Thaçi and Ashton will meet again on 17 January. The meeting of 4 December, in three phases - bilateral meetings with Ashton, then a joint meeting with her - followed on from the meetings of 19 October and 7 November (see EUROPE 107266). (CG/transl.fl)