Serbia and Kosovo met yesterday in order to discuss their issues and according to announcements, they have made significant progress in solving their differences. An agreement on the normalization of bilateral relations could be reached next month.
Following her meeting with Serb Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovar counterpart Hashim Thaci, the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton stated in a press conference: "I think we are very close to a solution on the most difficult issues."
On the other hand, Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said he could not confirm whether the sides were close to a solution but said that talks were moving in the right direction. He also stressed that Kosovo is very much committed to reaching an agreement since the two countries have lost a lot of time in enmity and confrontation.
Thaci and Dacic have held six rounds of talks with the support of the EU since October 2012. Talks will resume again on April 2 for a conclusive meeting.
Kosovo, where the majority of the population is ethnic Albanians, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. This act has since been recognized by around 100 countries, including the United States and most EU member states, but strongly rejected by Belgrade and the Serb minority living in Kosovo. The future of the 40,000 people forming the Serb minority in northern Kosovo plays a significant role to the talks.
Serbia and Kosovo have to solve their differences in order to become part of the EU. In particular, Serbia was granted EU candidate status In March 2012. However, it has not yet established a date for the beginning of the EU accession negotiations due to the unsolved issues with Kosovo. Kosovo, on the other hand, is not yet an official candidate country but has the potential to become one after completing several reforms and promoting dialogue with Serbia.
