"Lajčák didn't bring anything new to Belgrade, left with a clear message from Vucic"
After Belgrade talks, EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina dialogue was clearly told that Serbia wouldn't accept recognition of the so-called Kosovo.
Source: Novosti
"Brussels and Washington should make it clear to Kosovo Albanians that Serbia's position on recognizing Kosovo's illegally declared independence is unshakable: such a solution, as far as our side is concerned, cannot be part of a comprehensive agreement on normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina," Novosti wrote.
The paper adds that such a message was conveyed to Miroslav Lajčák by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, on Wednesday evening.
During several hours of talks, first at an official meeting, and then at a working dinner, the Serbian head of state pointed out that there is no more play, that Serbia is ready to continue the dialogue, but not on imposed solutions according to which one side would get everything and the other lost everything, as well as to insist that all previously reached agreements be implemented.
This platform on Serbia's positions was certainly not such a pleasant "music" for Lajcak's ears, Novosti's interlocutors believe, but they believe that in Brussels and Washington, however, there will be wisdom to respect the messages that the EU special envoy will take from Belgrade.
Srdjan Graovac, an analyst from the Center for Social Stability, says for "Novosti" that there is no doubt that Serbia will face strong pressures in the coming period. He expects that the candidate for prime minister in Pristina, the leader of "Self-Determination", Albin Kurti, who he considers to be an essential man tailored to both the EU and the USA, will continue to say that the only thing Pristina needs from Belgrade is a seat in the UN.
"However, the relations of power in the world are no longer such that the United States can ultimately demand and expect Serbia to fulfill all their demands, including the one to recognize Kosovo. I think that Lajcak is well aware that if he starts talking about resolving the final status, the dialogue will be at an impasse again. Even if Washington grits its teeth that the status of Kosovo is not being resolved, I don't think it will essentially sabotage it. What individuals in the US administration may not be aware of at the moment is how it happened that Serbia's position does not depend exclusively on the will of the EU and the United States. Every agreement made by Belgrade and Pristina must be approved by the UN Security Council, where Russia and China are," he said.
According to diplomat Zoran Milivojevic, Lajcak did not bring anything new to Belgrade, but he left the Serbian capital with clearly defined views on Serbia's positions - recognition of Kosovo cannot be a compromise.
"If the Western centers of power really want peace and stability in this area and putting an end to open issues, including Kosovo, then they must recognize that circumstances have changed, that without Serbia and the protection of its interests, this cannot be resolved. They must respect that Kosovo, as an independent state, is a failed project that has not been confirmed and that without a compromise solution, while respecting the interests of all, this work cannot be completed. It can only lead to new conflicts and problems in this area, which will spill over to the whole of Europe," he concluded.
