Drecun: Our position is clear - first the CSM, then the continuation of the dialogue; the proposed plan does not allow for a final solution

The President of the Committee of the Assembly of Serbia for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun, says that he does not see the purpose of the meeting between the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, if he is not committed to the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and its establishment, underlining that Belgrade's position is that, there is no continuation of the dialogue, nor consideration of the European proposal until the Community is established.

"It was clearly stated that the CSM must first be formed in order to continue the dialogue. Procedurally speaking, according to what is written in the Brussels Agreement, if there is a harmonization of positions regarding the CSM jurisdictions, a meeting must be held at the summit where the statute would be presented, and after that, the government in Pristina just has to introduce the Community into the legal order", Drecun explained for TV Prva when asked if there would be a meeting between President Vucic and Kurti soon, as announced by the EU.

As the Brussels Agreement and the implementation plan envisage, a summit meeting should be held to review the CSM statute.

"However, if you look at the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak, he didn't even respond to the management team's letter from April, when it was said that our team has a draft statute ready, which shows that he is not interested in the CSM as provided for in the Brussels Agreement, but a different CSM more acceptable for Pristina. I don't see the purpose of organizing a meeting in Brussels if it would not be dedicated to the CSM and then the CSM formed after it," Drecun explained.

He indicates that Brussels has different plans, so it talks about the fact that a meeting should be organized in a few weeks, to implement the Franco-German plan, which, he underlines, is not acceptable for Serbia in key parts.

"There is something that is a legal obligation, and that is CSM. Our position is that until this is realized, there is no continuation of the dialogue, nor consideration of the European proposal," Drecun underlined.

He says that the USA's position is strong that the CSM must be implemented because it is clear to them that they cannot break the will of Belgrade, which is why they are putting pressure on Pristina.

Regarding the conditions for the CSM formation presented recently by Kurti, Drecun noted that they were identical to what the Franco-German proposal said.

"He says international recognition first, and then talks about the rights of national minorities. It is also stated in the proposal - first the basic agreement, which does not include mutual recognition, and at the end, it is mentioned that everything previously agreed should be fulfilled. Its conditions are quite consistent with what is said in the proposal. He is satisfied with the plan that has been offered," he pointed out.

Drecun notes that European officials do not listen to what Belgrade is saying.

"My message to them is to listen more carefully because what we said is something we will not go over. We will not agree with membership in the UN and the recognition of independence, either de facto or de jure," he underlined.

Drecun points out that regardless of the growing pressure on Serbia, Kosovo is a complex problem that cannot be solved quickly, especially not on the basis the West offers.

"This is not a plan that would enable a long-term solution but would lead us into new conflicts and incidents," he stressed.

Drecun emphasizes that Serbia needs a strategic partnership with the US and that the Ambassador in Washington, Marko Djuric, is doing an excellent job on that.