Djuric on Brussels talks: We sent clear message, language of blackmail not to be spoken with Serbia

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

"Behind us is a day of very difficult negotiations about displaced persons, talks about 212,000 Serbs and non-Albanians still having an unresolved issue," Marko Djuric said in Brussels, where the Belgrade delegation participated in the continuation of talks on normalization of relations with Pristina, held at the expert level.

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Another topic that we dealt with, a very important one, is the issue of economic cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina - our position is clear and we think that we should finalize key infrastructure projects, said Djuric.

As he conveyed, there were also heated discussions during the talks, because it was not possible to agree even on the format.

"We had attempts to hand us some paper about our violation of the CEFTA agreement, but we did not accept it because we came to talk, not to quarrel. Had we come for that, we would have had many more things to say," Djuric said and added that the Belgrade delegation was very well prepared.

"We were protecting Serbia's dignity at all times and before arriving in Brussels, we sent a clear message to the other side and to international mediators, not to talk to Serbia in the language of blackmail, of ultimatums. Today, neither representatives of the international community nor the other side spoke like that. We have done a good job, we still have a lot of work to do," Djuric pointed out.

"A day of very difficult talks, but in which the Serbian side demonstrated a serious and responsible commitment to solving problems through dialogue. At the end of August, these technical talks will continue," he said, adding that at the meeting he demanded that Pristina stop lying about the purpose of these meetings.

"I'm tired of listening that the talks are about recognition and what you dream about, that's what I told Skender Hyseni. We are ready and in the mood for a normal conversation, so don't undermine the talks by telling untruths. I also asked EU representatives to be clear and transparent about what is being discussed here," he pointed out.

"The conversations we had were about economic issues and displaced persons, nothing more. If anyone had offered some paper, we would probably have been on the plane to Belgrade much earlier, but that did not happen. We had a difficult conversation about these issues," the director of the office for Kosovo and Metohija repeated.

"We have a responsibility to do our best to make people's lives easier and that is what technical talks are for. It's better for us to argue and get red in the face here than for a neighbor to do that with a neighbor in Kosovo and Metohija. If you like, this was a fight, I am proud of the members of the delegation and I am grateful to the president and the government for providing support so that Serbia can defend Serb interests, and that is why I can say that today's hard work has been successfully completed," he said.

As he reiterated, Hyseni claims that talks about Kosovo's independence are being held in Brussels, but this is not true - the negotiations are about normalization of relations.

"Whenever these talks are held, they contribute to lowering tensions on the ground and it's good that there is at least some perspective that something will be resolved," said Djuric.

(Telegraf.rs)