“Resolution not obstacle for negotiations”

19 January 2011 | 13:34 | Source: B92

BELGRADE -- Serbian Foreign Ministry Political Director Borko Stefanović says that the Council of Europe’s resolution on Serbia will not hinder Belgrade-Priština talks. Borko Stefanović (Tanjug, file) He told B92 that CoE Rapporteur Dick Marty’s report on human organ trafficking and the process that would follow the report were separate from the Belgrade-Priština negotiations. “There is no way to say anything in the resolution that could prevent negotiations with a legitimate Priština representative,” Stefanović pointed out. Commenting on Marty’s latest statement that he did not say that Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci was directly involved in the organ trade but that the people close to him were, the Foreign Ministry political director said that the whole issue was out of control and that he did not think the CoE rapporteur was relativizing things. “I don’t see his statement as relativization. The whole thing is out of control. The story needs to get a judicial conclusion,” he stressed. According to Stefanović, the report came at the best possible moment for Serbia because it confirmed things that the Serbian authorities have been claiming for years. “We are approaching the beginning of solving of the Kosovo issue and when you get into the process it’s important to realistically see things that have so far been invisible. Serbia has showed through its judicial proceedings the willingness to process all war criminals,” he said. Stefanović also pointed out that it was very important for Serbia what the CoE would say about Marty’s report on January 25 because, as he said, political effect could change views of historic events and that it was a good balance for reconciliation. He noted that he did not know who would be the head of Serbia’s negotiating team and he would not confirm or deny that it was going to be him. “The government will soon officially decide and it will be known. It’s being kept secret because the negotiating team needed a period of institutional and media calmness in order to prepare for the talks,” the Foreign Ministry political director stressed. He assessed that the other side was not nearly as prepared as Belgrade. Media have been speculating that Stefanović could lead Belgrade’s team in the negotiations with Priština.