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Chapter 35 of Kosovo issue "worse than recognizing its independence": Serbian PM

Xinhua, October 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said in Belgrade Thursday that chapter 35, dealing with Kosovo issue, in EU integration negotiations presents a special problem to Serbia.

He made this remark after he met with visiting UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Philip Hammond, who in separate meetings talked with Vucic and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic about the on-going dialogue with Kosovo, its aspirations to become a member of UNESCO that Serbia objects to, as well as the refugee crisis in the region and the continuation of economic and political reforms of Serbia.

Vucic said that the chapter 35 of the EU acquis will be discussed on Oct. 13 in Brussels, when Vucic will meet Kosovo PM Isa Mustafa and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

According to him attempts are made to put some declarations in the negotiation platform for this chapter that predetermine the outcome of the dialogue with Kosovo held in Brussels, which is for Serbia "worse than recognizing its independence."

"This information is even harder as the draft of this horrific paper is worse for us than to formally recognize the independence of Kosovo," he said, hoping that this will not be the official proposal of the negotiation platform.

For his part, Hammond said Serbia's progress in European integration demands normalization of relations with its southern province Kosovo which unilaterally declared independence in 2008.

"The progress in EU accession demands a progress in normalization of relations with Kosovo, and result of Vucic's engagement in the dialogue is that there was an important progress made here, and we welcome this," Hammond said after talking to Vucic.

He estimated that at least one of the negotiation chapters will be opened this year, as the country made visible progress on its EU path, and made some key reforms.

However, Hammond said that UK supports Kosovo's aspirations to become part of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), although it is not a member of the United Nations.

The membership in UNESCO will increase Kosovo's obligations to protect Serbian heritage on its territory, not the other way round, Hammond said. Enditem