PRISTINA -- Following talks with his Serbian counterpart in Paris, Kosovar President Hashim Thaci said dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade on normalizing ties should continue, but “without any conditionality.”
Thaci made the comments in an interview with RFE/RL by telephone on November 12, after meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on the sidelines of a Peace Forum in the French capital. The talks were facilitated by French President Emanuel Macron.
The Kosovar president said the aim of the trilateral meeting was to “reaffirm the need for a Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, [and] to restart this process with the eventual possibility of reaching a final agreement” between Kosovo and Serbia.
Asked when he expected a deal to be reached with Serbia, Thaci said: “As soon as possible, but it can happen in the coming months.”
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Although more than 110 countries recognize Kosovo's statehood, Belgrade does not.
European Union-mediated talks between Kosovo and Serbia to settle their differences have stalled.
A bone of contention includes a 100 percent tariff imposed a year ago on Serbian goods.
Vucic has called the tax “an insurmountable obstacle to continuation of dialogue.”
But Thaci told RFE/RL that “peace and stability…should be achieved without conditionality, without blaming each other, and without complaining about each other or talking about the past.”
Kosovo's Thaci Insists On Resuming Dialogue With Serbia 'Without Conditions'

Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
Greenland Elections: Go American, Stay Danish, Or Go It Alone?
2US Threatens Possible Military Response After Tehran Rejects Nuclear Outreach
3Ukrainian Female Prisoners Swap Cells For Combat Unit Roles
4Ukraine's Opposition Leaders Reject Holding Wartime Elections
5Ukraine Will Need To Make Land Concessions In Any Peace Deal, Rubio Says
6'Russia's Goals Unchanged' After Deadly Air Strikes On Ukraine, Says Zelenskyy
7Analysis: Ukraine Forced To Saudi Talks With Fewer Cards Than Ever
8Ukraine Is Trying To Root Out Corruption. Is It Enough To Silence Critics?
9Russia Steps Up Attacks, Battlefield Gains As Trump Questions Ukraine's Survival
10How Important Is US Intelligence For Ukraine's War Effort?
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.