Kosovo's Thaci Insists On Resuming Dialogue With Serbia 'Without Conditions'

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.”