Petkovic confirms participation in new round of technical dialogue

BELGRADE - The director of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija Petar Petkovic has accepted an invitation from EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak to participate in a new round of dialogue with Pristina scheduled for November 16 in Brussels, the Office told Tanjug on Thursday.

It said Petkovic would be accompanied by his top-level expert team.

"Belgrade has always been the credible and the constructive party in the dialogue, and it stands ready to resolve all outstanding issues at the negotiating table, while Pristina is refusing discussions or making them conditional. Director Petkovic immediately responded affirmatively to the EU's invitation to the new round of dialogue next Thursday, just like we did with the previous invitation to dialogue for November 7, which (Pristina's chief negotiator Besnik) Bislimi turned down. This time too, our side will insist in a consistent and persevering manner on a soonest possible de-escalation in the north of Kosovo-Metohija and on defusing the crisis generated by Pristina through its unilateral and violent actions, and discussions about establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities will also represent a crucial segment where Belgrade will insist on all guaranteed rights of the Serbs under agreements from 2013 and 2015," the Office said.