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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Dialogue with Pristina on all economic questions necessary

Belgrade, 30 August 2006

Members of the Serbian government's Economic team for Kosovo-Metohija and southern Serbia said during today's talks with international experts from the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General (UNOSEK) that it is necessary to establish a dialogue with Pristina on all issues concerning the economic situation in the province.

Author: Tanjug

Head of the Economic Team Nenad Popovic told Beta news agency that the topics discussed at the meeting were private, social and state property, Kosovo's foreign debt, privatisation, fiscal policy, banking and other economic issues.

According to Popovic, this was a preparatory meeting for the possible continuation of talks on economic issues between the Serbian and ethnic Albanian delegations in Vienna. However, the date for holding the meeting has not yet been set.

As far as privatisation is concerned, UNOSEK experts said that they do not have the mandate to halt that process, while representatives of the Serbian delegation requested an urgent moratorium on further privatisation in order to protect Serbian property.

However, Popovic voiced hope that positions of the two sides on that issue will get closer because that it is crucial thing for the survival of Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija, as well as for all those who want to return to their homes.

Speaking about Kosovo's foreign debt, Popovic said that there are no principled differences between Serbian negotiators and UNOSEK experts and added that the only problem is that the harmonisation of debts with the ethnic Albanian side is a time-consuming process, in which the principle of final user will be applied.

According to Popovic, these issues should be given much more attention because they are crucial not only as economic questions, but as political ones as well.

The meeting was attended by coordinators of the Team for political talks on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija Slobodan Samardzic and Leon Kojen, while the delegation of international experts was led by EU representative in UNOSEK Stefan Lehne.