Confusion Reigns Over Serbia - Kosovo 'Talks'

The only thing certain about the much-discussed 'technical talks' between Belgrade and Pristina is that the West wants them, but confusion reigns as to whether officials from the respective capitals will attend, whether they will go as equals, and what they are supposed to discuss.

The International Civilian Office, ICO, one of the international bodies supervising Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia last February, has said it is willing to support negotiations on "technical issues" between Kosovo Albanian authorities and the Serbian government.
 
“I think that there are still issues that need to be resolved, and the best way would be to resolve these issues through directs talks between Pristina and Belgrade,” ICO chief Pieter Feith said this week, adding that  "the International Civilian Office is ready to support the Government of Kosovo concerning its participation in these possible talks.”

The three international organizations supposed to decide on the format and the agenda of the negotiations are the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, the European Union's justice and policing mission EULEX, and the Office of the Special Representative of the European Union, in Pristina.
 
Kosovo leaders have indicate they do not want the negotiations to be led by UNMIK, arguing that its mission expired on December 9, and prefer that negotiations be led by the US and the EU.
 
“UNMIK is at the end of its mandate in Kosovo," said deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci. "The presence of the US and the EU is irreplaceable because the Balkans doesn’t seem to be able to solve the problems alone.”

The office of President Fatmir Sejdiu further muddied the waters when it thanked Feith for his willingness to help, but curtly pointed out Kosovo has its own government.
 
“We value Feith’s initiative, but every topic related to Kosovo is an exclusive competence of Kosovo’s institutions”, said Xhavit Beqiri, spokesman for Sejdiu.
 
This ties in with Kosovo's stated position that it will only attend any talks if it sits on the table with Serbia as an equal, an independent state, something Belgrade says it will never concede.

But Serbia's Minister for Kosovo, Goran Bogdanovic, said "technical talks outside the proposed frameworks with the institutions that have made the decision of seceding a part of Serbia's territory are not acceptable."

"Our position is well known and it hasn't changed," Bogdanovic told the Belgrade daily Novosti, "Belgrade is ready and welcomes any initiative for talks about the points provided in the UN Secretary General's report. However, that's possible only under the UN framework, set by Resolution 1244 and the latest report and presidential statement of the SC, whether it is about UNMIK, or EULEX."

In the meantime, nothing has been said about the structure and content of these "technical negotiations".
One  ICO official told Balkan Insight that they might touch on customs, infrastructure, cultural heritage and other issues counting for mutual interests.
 
For Jakup Krasniqi, head of Kosovo’s parliament, the two sides can talk about economic and administrative issues, though he expected few concrete positive results.

“We can talk about the debts Serbia owes to Kosovo, about the border issue, cadastral documentation stolen by Serbia”, said Krasniqi for Koha Ditore, adding that the negotiations were still only on paper.
 “The request for negotiations comes from the international community and I don’t expect any positive result from them.”