Serbia-Kosovo Meeting Ends Without Progress

The EU-mediated meeting on Wednesday in Brussels between the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia ended with the two sides remaining entrenched in their positions, and without progress towards the signing of a legally binding agreement on the normalisation of relations.

Hashim Thaci of Kosovo said that Serbia and its President, Vucic, must accept that Kosovo is an independent state, and that there can be no compromise on that matter.

"Unfortunately, Serbia keeps on with its mentality from the past," Thaci said after the unexpectedly short meeting, adding that it was the hardest conversation he had held in six years of negotiations.

Vucic said that he would continue to strive for "compromise", while accusing the Albanian side of wanting to get everything.

"The only 'compromise' that the Kosovo side is offering ... is to recognize the independent state of Kosovo. It doesn't work that way," Vucic told the press.

In a brief press release, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, who mediates the negotiations, said that the two Presidents had reviewed the progress made in earlier discussions and had "agreed to reconvene in a few weeks' time to continue their work".

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