Defense Minister: Serbia Ready for Agreement but Has Red Lines

Milos Vucevic, the vice president of the Serbian Progressive Party (BETAPHOTO/DRAGAN GOJIC)

Defense Minister Milos Vucevic said on Dec. 28 that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, besides talks with Kosovo Serb representatives at the Serbian army's Raska garrison, also had "open communication channels" with representatives of the Quint countries (the U.S., Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany) during the night between Dec. 27 and 28, to whom he conveyed the positions of Serbia and the Serbian people.

Vucevic told state television RTS that Vucic had acquainted the Kosovo Serbs with everything Serbia was doing to preserve peace and stability, while they had informed him about the situation on the ground and the reasons for setting up barricades.

He also said that Vucic had conveyed to the Quint representatives the resolve to seek a political agreement but that the political agreement "will not and cannot" be further persecution of the Serbs in Kosovo. "If the international community... really wants to put all this back into the form of dialogue and political agreement, a whole host of irrational moves by (Kosovo Premier) Albin Kurti's administration must stop," said Vucevic.

When asked about the possibility of conflict, Vucevic said that Serbian citizens should not be afraid. "No one feels like waging war and no one is wishing for clashes, but the Serbian army is ready, brave and determined to protect our state. I hope no one checks whether that is true," said Vucevic.