Nikolić: Recognition of Kosovo is unacceptable

Nikolić: Recognition of Kosovo is unacceptable

BELGRADE -- Serbia wants to become a part of the EU as soon as possible and is willing to compromise on anything during the talks with the EU, says Tomislav Nikolić.

However, added the Serbian president during his meeting on Monday in Belgrade with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton - recognizing the self-declared independence of Kosovo is unacceptable.

New circumstances in Kosovo need to be discussed, like the creation of the Kosovo defense force, he was quoted as saying by Tanjug.

The southern Serbian province is not threatened by anyone, so there is no need to create any kind of army, Nikolić said, according to a release from his office.

But if some kind of an armed force should be formed, then the Serbs have to be entitled to a reciprocal share in it, like the way it was done with the police, he stressed.

Nikolić protested against the decision by the authorities in Priština to require personal documents issued by the Kosovo administration in order to be allowed to vote.

It is unacceptable to Serbia, because it would be an a priori recognition of Kosovo's independence, he postulated.

Ashton said that as far as Kosovo was concerned, she was impressed by the two sides' willingness to talk and reach a compromise.

She stated that she "knew it was not easy, but that the talks needed to continue, not only for the sake of the agreements, but also to raise different issues important for all the people in Kosovo."

Problems, if they exist, will be overcome in a way that avoids conflict, she added.

"A lot depends on the political will which is now very strongly opposed to conflicts. Future...