Prishtina, 16 April 2013
Today, at the invitation of Baroness Catherine Ashton, the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi traveled to Brussels, where the ninth meeting at the state level with representatives from the Republic of Serbia, is expected to be held.
Before leaving the Prime Minister held a press conference at Prishtina International Airport “Adem Jashari,” at which he declared:
We received an invitation for the opportunity of this meeting from Baroness Ashton and we responded positively, respecting our constitutional and legal responsibilities. So far, we have held eight meetings, in a positive spirit, committed to reaching a final agreement. We were close to an agreement, and I believe that during these days Belgrade has reflected on its responsibility to be more flexible and to leave behind it, the rigidity it displayed in the last meeting.
Kosovo’s position is clear, in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo, and European standards. We have set out our opinions and attitudes about the necessity of dismantling illegal structures in the north, as well as the need to create the conditions and circumstances for the free movement of people and goods in the north.
The implementation of agreements has already begun on integrated border management and we are committed to a unified system of justice functioning in the territory of Kosovo and a police system which will work according to the standards and laws of Kosovo.
We have repeatedly emphasized that the address for negotiations between our two countries is in Brussels, with the mediation of Baroness Ashton and in support of the European Union and the United States of America.
Even today, the Kosovo delegation is traveling with the best intentions to reach agreement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the start of the construction of a new chapter between the two countries, a chapter that has been absent for a century until today. Not only Kosovo will win by reaching an agreement, but it will benefit Serbia and the entire region, it will be good news for the European Union and the United States of America.
In this meeting, which is the ninth in a row, we will comply in full with the Resolution of the Kosovo Assembly, the Kosovo Constitution, and laws and the highest European standards. If agreement is reached, we will work to quickly establish conditions for organizing elections in the four municipalities in the north, which will be organized and managed by the OSCE, at the invitation of the Kosovo institutions. Socio-economic conditions will be created for all citizens, and an association of municipalities will be formed, without a legislative or executive mandate.
When taking decisions, the Kosovo delegation will be committed to maintaining the functionality of our country, the interests of peace and stability in the region, and the European and Euro-Atlantic perspective. I hope that things will move positively and that the investment of the international community will pass into a new phase of implementation. The stakeholders responsible for implementation will be the institutions of Kosovo, EULEX, and KFOR, but even this stage will not be easy because problems have amassed over 14 years.
Kosovo goes well prepared for the 9th meeting and I hope that the meeting will produce agreement, because we have invested a lot of ideas and effort. Kosovo has been responsible and serious in this process.
Our investment, our energy and commitment, but also the determination of the EU and support of the U.S. will be a security and guarantee for the agreement’s success.
Question: What makes you hopeful for an agreement?
We will respect Kosovo’s Constitution and laws. We have made a compromise in the Ahtissaari document. My hope lies in Belgrade’s reflection on Baroness Ashton’s proposal and our civic, political and state responsibility. We are working with hope, optimism and trust to change values in the most positive way possible. We have worked with hope and optimism in all meetings, and also with a view to reaching agreement. We have not gone to confront, but to close a chapter of conflict. We remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached.
Last modified: July 31, 2022