No progress made in Kosovo-Metohija decentralisation talks

RELIEF WEB (SWITZERLAND)

Source: Government of Serbia
Date: 19 Jul 2006

Belgrade, July 19, 2006 - Decentralisation talks between Belgrade and Pristina ended with no agreement, as in the previous seven rounds. The two delegations did not manage to make an agreement even concerning criteria or the number of new municipalities with the Serb majority.

Decentralisation expert at the UN office Bernard Schlagek, who presided over the meeting, told a press conference that talks were guided in a different way this time and explained that international mediators talked separately with delegations of Belgrade and Pristina, after which a plenary session was held.

He said that this meeting showed that there are misunderstandings in many areas, but that it helped identify those misunderstandings.

The UN official announced that the two sides agreed to hold the next meeting on decentralisation talks on July 24, when top officials will meet.

Advisor to Serbian President Leon Kojen said that this new form of talks is more useful than the previous one as it allows better and a clearer exchange of stands between the two sides.

According to him, the main issue was not the number of new municipalities, but their territory and size, especially when Kosovska Mitrovica is concerned.

Advisor to the Serbian Prime Minister Slobodan Samardzic said that Belgrade seeks 12 municipalities and that Pristina's offer of five municipalities is insufficient.

According to them, seven municipalities are not negotiable as they meet all criteria, whereas the remaining five can be negotiated.