Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said, on Sunday 18 June, that he would only take part in the crisis talks with Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, organised for this week in Brussels by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, if Belgrade’s demands were met (see EUROPE 13202/25).
“I consider it pointless to talk to someone who is not prepared to talk”, Mr Vučić told several journalists in Belgrade.
“There is no dialogue with Mr Kurti, who wants war at all costs. All he does is think about how to provoke; he is protected every day”, he added, claiming that Pristina enjoys the support of the EU.
These statements come after Mr Borrell invited the two leaders to the negotiating table on 15 June to try to find a solution to the situation in the Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo, where violence has been taking place since 26 May (see EUROPE 13190/20).
Belgrade is calling for the removal of Albanian mayors in four Serb-majority municipalities. They were elected on 23 April in elections boycotted by Serbs living in the region (see EUROPE 13168/7). Serbia also expects Kosovo to release the Serbs arrested in connection with the demonstrations in the north of the country and for the Kosovan police to withdraw.
On 15 June, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs had also called for the immediate suspension of police operations near municipal buildings in northern Kosovo. For its part, Serbia is expected to undertake to support the withdrawal of troublemakers from the area and legal proceedings should be launched against the perpetrators of violence.
Mr Kurti’s presence at this crisis meeting is also uncertain. His teams are due to send a reply to Mr Borrell early in the week. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)