Russian newspaper: Territorial Trade, Dialogue Subject in Brussels

The central topic of negotiations between the president of Serbia and Kosovo, Aleksandar Vuciq and Hashim Thaci, will be the exchange of territory in Brussels, writes the Russian newspaper “Kommersant”.

Moscow's daily recalls that against this idea are the top countries in Europe, while experts fear that borders will lead to a new war in the Balkans, Kosovo Press broadcasts.

The paper writes that talks between Belgrade and Pristina have continued for months, but that real progress has not been achieved and adds, referring to close sources with Serbian authorities, that the EU has set a deadline for reconciliation with Pristina by early 2019, otherwise EU integration would be blocked.

The diplomatic sources of “Kommersant” in EU countries clarify that Brussels does not ask Belgrade to recognise Kosovo, but that normalisation envisions Kosovo's membership in international organisations, including the UN, and that Pristina should agree to the establishment of association of Serb municipalities.

It is not easy for Belgrade to accept this formula, which means that it officially recognises the loss of Kosovo,” writes the paper.

“Commersant” writes that Thaci's idea was also surprising, which “cautiously “backed “correction of the borders”, with which Thaci and Thaci “actually marked the formula for normalising relations through exchange of”.