Serbia's president briefs his Turkish counterpart Erdogan on Kosovo talks

Türkiye says it should proceed encouraging dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo whereas leaders emphasise that strengthening Serbia-Turkish relations would contribute to stability in Western Balkans.

Last year, Serbia said that it counts on Türkiye’s support for the continuation of talks to resolve lingering disputes with Kosovo. — Last yr, Serbia mentioned that it counts on Türkiye’s help for the continuation of talks to resolve lingering disputes with Kosovo.
(AP)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has briefed his Turkish counterpart in regards to the nation’s official place within the ongoing talks with Kosovo.

In a telephone name, Vucic and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed that a very powerful factor is to keep up peace within the Western Balkans.

“By working to strengthen Serbian-Turkish relations, they will make a strong contribution to regional stability,” mentioned the assertion on Sunday from the Serbian aspect.

Last yr, Serbia mentioned that it counts on Türkiye’s help for the continuation of talks to resolve lingering disputes with Kosovo.

Türkiye mentioned it should proceed encouraging dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

Serbia and Kosovo will proceed the normalisation talks underneath the auspices of the European Union on Monday in Brussels.

Integration with EU

EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell and EU’s particular consultant for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak will maintain separate conferences with Vucic and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti earlier than having a joint assembly.

The EU requires Kosovo and Serbia to achieve a ultimate settlement and resolve disputes between them with the intention to progress of their integration with the bloc.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states together with the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Türkiye recognising it as a rustic separate from its neighbour. But Belgrade continues to treat it as its territory.

Vucic mentioned final October that Germany and France provided to expedite Serbia’s EU membership course of if it recognised Kosovo’s independence and allowed it to turn into a member of worldwide organisations.

According to the leaked proposal, Kosovo ought to for its half permit the institution of a union of Serbian municipalities within the north, the place many ethnic Serbs dwell.

EU officers hope to finish negotiations on the plan this spring, with Brussels having facilitated the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue.

Earthquake condolences

Vucic as soon as once more expressed his honest remorse for the big variety of victims of the devastating earthquakes and reiterated Serbia’s readiness to assist.

At least 44,374 individuals have died in two sturdy earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye.

The 7.7 and seven.6 magnitude earthquakes, centred within the Kahramanmaras province, affected greater than 13 million individuals throughout 11 provinces, together with Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Elazig and Sanliurfa.

READ MORE: Türkiye able to lend help to Kosovo-Serbia talks: Erdogan