Dacic: A step forward or debacle in Washington - it depends on who expects what

Photo: Tanjug/Zoran Zestic

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said today that whether a meeting between representatives of Belgrade and Pristina at the White House will be a big step forward or a debacle in the dialogue depends on who expects what from it, stressing that Serbia is in favor of agreement and negotiations, but not of ultimatums.

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"Pressure on the state and on the man himself will be great, with blackmail, threats to his future and the entire country, but I also know how Aleksandar Vucic reacts to that. So I don't advise anyone to take the road of ultimatums in the case of Serbia and Vucic, that is not the way to solve the problem, we are for talks and agreements, but we do not accept ultimatums," said Dacic.

Photo: Tanjug/AP

Dacic told RTS that during the preparation of the meeting, there had only been talk about shaping the economic framework, i.e. about infrastructure, establishing free movement of goods, people, and capital - but that surprises are possible.

"If someone expects it to be a spectacular meeting, for the status story to appear in the political framework, things are not prepared there. If someone thinks they will put pressure on Serbia through a hidden agenda, if that happens, President Aleksandar Vucic will, I am sure, respond in the way that is in the greatest state and national interest," Dacic said, according to Tanjug.

Stating that a political agreement has not been prepared, Dacic said that Vucic also expects surprises at the meeting, but that the Kosovo issue can only be resolved through compromise.

Asked whether the upcoming meeting is the most difficult one when it comes to the Kosovo issue, Dacic said that he himself participated in the meetings with Vucic and that he knows what pressure on the Serbian delegation looks like.

Photo: Tanjug/Dragan Kujundzic

He said that Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and close associate, will be present at the meeting, and that it was announced that US Vice President Mike Pence or President Donald Trump himself could attend the finalization of an agreement on the economy.

Dacic stressed that EU countries do not look favorably on what the United States is doing, because they think that the EU should be doing it.

"On the other hand, Serbia cannot be correcting things in international order, we will participate in all activities that go towards solving the problem, we are all aware that Brussels mediates in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, according to the UN General Assembly resolution, but also that a solution must go through the UN Security Council," said Dacic.

He concluded that earlier, Washington did not go for talks, but only for putting pressure on Serbia to recognize Kosovo, but now they are in favor of seeking compromise.

(Telegraf.rs)