Speaking in Priština, he added that the mission’s role was now to facilitate dialogue between Serbia and the Kosovo Albanians.

"Dialogue is a good step forward by its own nature, so that we have dialogue through a third party, and the third party is the UN’s special envoy to Kosovo," Ivanko told a press conference.

The spokesman said that it was a positive step in its own way, expressing the opinion that it was too early to speak of any progress in these areas, adding that he believed that talks had to continue.

“That’s our position at this moment in time,” he said.

Asked whether a direct meeting between Belgrade and Priština representatives was possible, Ivanko replied that it would have been very useful if that meeting had taken place yesterday, but that “because of the Serbian government’s position such a meeting is not feasible.”

The UNMIK spokesman believes that direct talks between the two sides without mediators would be the best solution.

He said that the UNMIK chief had spoken today with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, that he had informed him of the dialogue between UNMIK and the Serbian government, and of his recent visit to Belgrade.

According to Ivanko, the next meeting with Serbian Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanović would take place in September, though he could not specify whether they would be meeting in Belgrade or Priština.