VUCIC SAYS AFRAID THAT ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE WITH PRISTINA IS FURTHER THAN EVER

VUCIC SAYS AFRAID THAT ESSENTIAL DIALOGUE WITH PRISTINA IS FURTHER THAN EVER

On March 12 Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that "essential" dialogue with Pristina was today "further than ever" and added that he was afraid that it would not resume in the near future.

Vucic told Prva TV that the problem could not be solved by Serbia recognizing Kosovo's independence within its present borders and that this would not happen. He said that Belgrade saw no alternative to negotiations, but that they were not being led now and that one could not say that the two sides were closer to an agreement.

"What is the alternative to negotiations? Do you want us to go to war? Even if we do go to war we will have to negotiate again. What is the idea?," Vucic said.

He reiterated that Serbia could not abandon Kosovo's remaining Serbs in the event of an attack and added that he had reiterated that Serbia would know how to respond in that event.

He said that media reports on a demarcation were "nonsense" and "wishful thinking" by the Albanians made up by Pristina and spread via its lobbyists.

Vucic said that at a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's foreign policy advisers Jan Hecker and Matthias Luttenberg he was told that Serbia was expected to show restraint, but did not reveal any more details. "I confirmed that Serbia would act with restraint and exercise restraint as much as possible," Vucic said.