Pristina-Belgrade secret negotiations

• Pristina-Belgrade secret negotiations (Zëri – front page)
• Mediation also in dialogue with Serbs of north (Koha Ditore – front page)
• Krasniqi asks US to assist in Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (dailies)
• Mission Ashton (Express – page 6)
• LDK withdraws from election reform (Koha Ditore – front page)
• Kacin: Agreement on Kosovo’s representation achieved (dailies)
• Limaj: Reforms, otherwise PDK will not be leading party (Zëri – front page)
• Kusari-Lila: We’re not like the LDK (Epoka e Re – front page)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Pristina-Belgrade secret negotiations (Zëri) – front page
The paper claims to have secured a confidential ‘western’ diplomatic report that demonstrates the insincerity of the Quint countries, which pressed on Pristina to begin the dialogue with Kosovo’s “northern citizen”. The document dates back to the time when Boris Tadic was still President of Serbia and speaks about Belgrade’s wish to have secret talks with Kosovo.

“Alongside and separate from current dialogue facilitated by the EU between Belgrade and Pristina, Belgrade would be willing to review the possibility of discreet discussions for a comprehensive solution of relations with Pristina and which would begin right away and potentially end in spring of 2012,” the document said.

These talks would then eventually lead to the creation of a special territory in the north. Although autonomy for the area is never mentioned in the text of the document, it stipulates “broad rights and status for Serbs living in Kosovo’s northern municipalities thus creating a single region called The North with special representation rights.”

Mediation also in dialogue with Serbs of north (Koha Ditore) – front page
The internal dialogue with Serbs of the north announced by the Government is not expected to take place without the mediation of the third party. Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said on Tuesday regarding whether the Government would agree to discuss with the parallel structures in the north that they will work with legitimate Serb citizens.

“Our logic is not to find Serbs that are suitable only for us, but Serbs who represent the will of Serbs there and who at the same time can cooperate and work with us,” said Kuçi after the meeting of the Government. “We are working on our own as well as with the international factor. You know that things in Balkans do not move easily without mediation,” he added.

Krasniqi asks US to assist in Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (dailies)
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi is reported to have asked the US Ambassador Tracey Jacobson to support the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia. “We have been continuously in favour of talks with Kosovo Serbs and Serbia but we want that through these talks Kosovo and Serbia eliminate all obstacles and disagreements they have as neighbouring states,” said Krasniqi in his first official meeting with the new US ambassador. “But of course we urge support for these talks from the US and EU.”

Express reported that Jacobson refused to comment on whether Kosovo needs a new ruling coalition in order to enter talks with Serbia. “I am, very happy to have the opportunity to speak to all political parties but if you are interested in the coalition issue, then you will have to ask for answers from political parties,” Jacobson told the media.

Mission Ashton (Express) – page 6
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, is planning to be more involved in the discussions between Pristina and Belgrade. Before this, she will meet in Brussels with Serbia’s new Prime Minister Ivica Dacic.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Ashton is expected to test Belgrade’s readiness in relation with Kosovo during this meeting. The WSJ writes that Ashton will see if the new Serbian Government “is ready to play the game.” During Dacic’s visit, Brussels will focus on Dacic’s engagements to implement completely the seven agreements reached so far with Pristina.

LDK withdraws from election reform (Koha Ditore) – front page
The appeal by U.S. Ambassador in Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson addressed a few days ago to the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, for his party to be part of the political processes of the country has not been considered by the LDK leader. This party decided on Wednesday to leave the Parliamentary Commission for Election Reform with the justification that Hashim Thaçi’s PDK violated the agreement for the President signed by LDK, PDK and AKR leaders, which was reached with mediation of the former U.S. Ambassador Christopher Dell.
“We, representatives of LDK, are withdrawing from the work in the Commission. However, if the political circumstances change by respecting the agreement on the president, we are ready to continue our work,” said the head of the Commission, Haki Demolli. Sources of Koha Ditore said that the Commission can continue its work as long as there is a sufficient quorum. The Commission used to have nine members.

Kacin: Agreement on Kosovo’s representation achieved (dailies)
European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia Jelko Kacin said that agreement for Kosovo’s representation in regional initiatives has been achieved but gave no other details of the agreement. “I would leave it to time to see Serbia in such forums. Isolation is no good to anyone. Serbia should take on responsibilities,” said Kacin following a meeting with Serbian Assembly Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic.

Limaj: Reforms, otherwise PDK will not be leading party (Zëri) – front page
In the second part of the interview for the paper, PDK deputy leader Fatmir Limaj said the Kosovo Democratic Party must undergo reforms otherwise it will lose its standing as the leading political party in Kosovo. Limaj suggested the formula of ‘one member, one vote’. “This formula,” Limaj said, “would give an opportunity to all those that want to challenge themselves to enter the political race and make the party democratic. Such elections would without a doubt make the party even stronger”.

Commenting on the privatization of publicly-owned enterprises, Limaj said the distribution of the Kosovo Power Corporation was basically “given away”. Limaj, a former minister of Transport and Telecommunications, said he is against the privatization of the Kosovo Post and Telecom at this time because of its low value. Limaj also criticized the Thaçi government for failing to deal with real problems and focusing only on technical or political talks and the issue of the coalition.

Kusari-Lila: We’re not like the LDK (Epoka e Re) – front page
Kosovo’s Trade and Industry Minister and AKR deputy leader Mimoza Kusari-Lila said the AKR would under no circumstance put the country or its institutions in a difficult position. “The AKR will never cause an institutional crisis. We were always the ones to criticize other political parties when they produced situations of institutional crisis. I think this is an important moment of the country and it is also very important to have a smooth institutional process and institutional stability. Dialogue with Serbia must take place. One, Kosovo’s territorial integrity is untouchable. Two, Kosovo’s independence is an irreversible process. And three, Kosovo’s institutions are sovereign and they make decisions for this country. Government officials in Serbia are aware of this but they cannot admit it publicly,” Kusari-Lila is quoted as saying.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• LDK withdraws from election reform
• Mediation also in dialogue with Serbs of north
• Many ideas in the EU but very little certainty over Kosovo-Serbia dialogue

Other headlines
• Krasniqi asks for US assistance in Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (2)
• Kacin: Agreement on Kosovo’s representation reached (2)
• LB calls for platform for dialogue with Serbia (4)
• Northern Mitrovica residents to get free treatment at American Hospital (4)

Zëri

Front page
• Pristina-Belgrade secret negotiations
• Limaj: Reforms, otherwise PDK will not be leading party
• LDK withdraws from election reforms
• Thaçi praises his government

Other headlines
• Talks to remove obstacles with Serbia (2)
• Agreement on Kosovo’s representation is reached (2)
• Jacobson, support for Kosovo’s economy (6)
• Ashton more active in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue?! (9)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Krasniqi: Saliuka illegally expropriated socially-owned property
• Three years after death, still member of MTI committee!
• Thaçi: Do not block the process!
• Bukoshi: I was fighting corruption but I guess I was naïve
• Editorial: Back to point zero

Other headlines
• Krasniqi asks US support in talks (2)
• OBRIE: Serbia to compensate war damages to Kosovo (2)
• President Nishani begins visit to Kosovo (3)
• Ashton more active in Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (3)
• Kacin confirms agreement with Serbia on Kosovo’s representation (3)
• Election reform blocked (3)
• USA supports economic processes (7)
• Prison escapes, director of Dubrava prison under investigation (8)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Kusari-Lila: We are not like the LDK
• Azem Syla resigns
• Washington and Brussels to guarantee
• LDK “deserts”

Other headlines
• Ashton gets actively involved in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (2)
• Çeku: KSF, deployable force (2)
• Kacin: Serbia, at the same table with Kosovo (2)
• Government to strengthen ties with citizens of the north (3)
• MPs get back to sessions (7)
• Residents of the north to get free treatment at American Hospital in Tirana (8)

Express

Front page
• Blockade Atifete
• She doesn’t speak about the coalition
• We are exporting money

Other headlines
• Nishani in Kosovo (4)
• Pacolli does not get punished (5)
• Mission Ashton (6)
• Strengthen the relations with the northerners (6)
• Agreement without Kosovo? (6)

Bota Sot

Front page
• PDK pleads to LDK, Kuçi responds to Lutfi Haziri
• LDK withdraws from the Commission for election reform
• Former commander surrenders, Azem Syla resigns

Other headlines
• Albania’s President Bujar Nishani, arrives today in Kosovo (2)
• Vetëvendosje against decentralization (2)
• Serbia accepts to participate at the meetings with Kosovo (3)
• Feith at the Administrative Office of Kosovo in the north (3)
• Edita ready to offer autonomy for Serbs of the north (4)
• Prior to discussions, Serbia should apologize (7)
• Why doesn’t Kosovo use telephony code of Albania? (9)
• Krasniqi requests U.S. support in the discussions with Serbia (11)
• U.S. support economic development of Kosovo (11)