Even in Pristina, Belgrade major doubts about Paris Summit results

At the Paris meeting on July 1st, whose officials are French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will also attend Serbia's state representatives, while from the now confirmed Kosovo side, that President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, Chief Parliamentary Kadri Veselini, Foreign Affairs Minister Behgjet Pacolli will participate, as well as the two leaders of the negotiating team, Fatmir Limaj and Shpend Ahmeti.

The results in Paris question?

The media in Pristina and Belgrade write that there is uncertainty about the results of the Paris meeting, as Kosovo is not removing the tax on Serbia's products -- this continued demand of the international factor. Serbia is refusing to resume dialogue with Pristina without receiving taxes. However, Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj ensures that no one will point the finger out from Kosovo for any possible eventual failure of the Paris summit.

As far as the Paris Summit is concerned, I believe it's a very bilateral job. But I assure you that no one can direct the finger from Kosovo, so Kosovo has shown serious parties in its preparations, exactly as regards the Paris Summit”, Prime Minister Haradinaj has said.

On the other hand, days ago, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has questioned whether the Paris meeting will be held. He has again cited the tax on products of Serbia imposed by the Kosovo government as an obstacle to continuing dialogue.

If there's a meeting in Paris, we'll be in a bad situation. But, if there is no meeting in Paris, it will be even more serious or express myself in the language of the people, we will be in a much larger mud -- we and the entire region” -- said Alexander Vuciq, quoted the media in Serbia N1. According to him, Serbia is always ready for constructive dialogue”, but as Vuciq says, “Serbia will not give up its principles”.

Attitudes Remain Unchanged

Knowing of developments in the region, meanwhile, are very sceptical of a positive result from the Paris meeting in terms of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. Blerim Burjani, analyst told the DW, that the positions of the parties so far have not changed are the same, and therefore in this situation, the process is at a standstill. There is no very positive development ahead. The sides have not moved from their opposing positions and there is no signal that things are going there is any approach. A strategic document would be wise to offer or should be offered much earlier to the parties by the mediator and then to find out about this framework document. In my opinion it would have to be a technical document for the” border, says Blerim Buryan.

Analyst Burjani says that the parties -- Kosovo and Serbia -- should not miss the opportunity for a possible deal, for the fact that the mediators are the two most powerful European states, Germany and France. There can be no more broad political talks, but only technical conversations for mutual recognition. I don't expect much of this Sam, but the parties should not miss the opportunity now being offered, although Germany and France have so far not suggested there is a draft technical settlement agreement, at least there is no public document”, says Blerim Burjani.

Another political analyst, Artan Mujaziri, says the Kosovo side's position to keep the tax in force even despite the continued demand by international partners for its removal, could question the holding of the Paris meeting.

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj's “is continuing to object to the insistence on taxing Serbia's products. All Kosovo allies are repeating that without the removal of the tax, there can be no continuing dialogue. So it is expected that even the Paris Summit will not be held at all, but even if it is held, it does not believe there will be results as long as the current positions of the parties do not change, in this case Kosovo and Serbia. ”

Consultation with delegations

At the beginning of this month, meanwhile, a delegation of diplomatic advisers from Germany and France remained in Kosovo, where they discussed preparations for the Paris summit, which was held on July one. The meetings were held on closed doors without media presence, while sources within the government said, the German-French delegation has come to Pristina with clear messages, whose contents were not published, however. German-French diplomats, according to sources within the Kosovo government, have said that the “tation of Berlin and the Paris meeting are not meant to take the role of facilitator dialogue or replace the EU's role in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

Kosovo and Serbia have been interrupting dialogue for several months after the 100% tariff was set by the Kosovo government for Serbia's products. That move, according to Kosovo political leaders, has been decided because of Serbia's <x0-areaggression of political and diplomatic to Kosovo”, as it says in Kosovo. And Serbia, in turn, refuses to return to dialogue without Pristina removing the tax on Serbia's products. Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq has warned strict measures against Kosovo after the Paris meeting, if Pristina does not remove the tax on Serbia's products.