EU talks will lead Serbian recognition, Kosovo premier says

Feb 23, 2012, 14:12 GMT

Berlin/Belgrade - European Union-brokered talks in Brussels will result in Serbia recognizing the independence of its former province, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci predicted on Thursday.

'With a new agreement that will be reached in Brussels, Serbia will recognize the independence of Kosovo,' he told the Pristina daily Express.

Serbia and its mostly Albanian former province of Kosovo resumed the talks in Brussels on Wednesday, after a two-month break. No progress was reported after the first session and the two delegations were still in meetings Thursday.

In December, EU leaders held off on recognizing Serbia as an EU membership candidate, insisting it should improve relations with Kosovo first and let EU and NATO missions continue their work there.

The warning came after ethnic Serbs injured Austrian and German soldiers that were part of NATO's peacekeeping forces in Kosovo.

This week's round of dialogue with Kosovo gives Serbia a chance to comply with the conditions before EU ministers return to the issue next week, ahead of a summit on March 1-2 that is expected to take decisions.

Belgrade is in particular being asked to stop vetoing Kosovo's participation in Balkan regional organizations and fully implement previous EU-brokered deals, including on borders.

'We think that (Serbia) still has work to do, we are withholding our judgement for now,' a diplomat from a critical EU nation said in Brussels on Thursday.

Stepping up pressure on Serbia, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle was due to visit Belgrade later Thursday to press for forward movement in talks with Kosovo and compliance with EU terms.

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