'No Hajj without a permit' mobile exhibition kicks off in Madinah    142 women soldiers graduated    Number of train passengers surges 27% to over 8 million in 1Q of 2024    Lulu Hypermarket opens in Khamis Mushait    Dozens of flamingos dead after plane hits them in Mumbai    TCL Electronics introduces the latest QD-Mini LED TV and smart home appliances    Saudi Arabia completes 1st phase of desertification assessment with creating 246 maps    Passengers tell of horror aboard turbulence-hit flight    US signals support for possible sanctions against ICC over Israel warrants    Former Marine charged with spying for Hong Kong found dead    Agriculture ministry: No truth in rumors regarding meat consumption during withdrawal period causing diseases in humans    Saudi AI model ALLaM joins IBM's watsonx platform, bolsters Arabic language capabilities    Energy minister: Saudi Arabia sets new world record in producing low-cost electricity from wind energy    Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad diagnosed with leukemia, presidency announces    'Two Kingdoms' initiative celebrates shared Saudi-UK artistic legacy    Oleksandr Usyk claims undisputed heavyweight title in 'Ring of Fire' match in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia: The emerging cultural powerhouse shaping global soft power dynamics    Jorge Jesus praises Al Hilal's resilience after dramatic last-minute draw in Riyadh Derby    Star golfer Scottie Scheffler arrested over alleged assault on police officer    Al-Ittihad's victory drought continues, misses chance to qualify for ACL elite    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Kosovo premier talks of normal Serbia relations
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 01 - 10 - 2012

UNITED NATIONS — Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said Kosovo and Serbia must normalize relations soon to begin integrating with Europe, but he insisted that partition of his country's Serb-dominated northern enclave “will never happen.”
Kosovo's flag does not fly at the United Nations, where Thaci met with EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and US officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly ministerial meeting.
The European Union is trying to broker talks next month between Kosovo and Serbia, which also wants to join the bloc. The EU is expected to push for a resolution on Kosovo's tense north, where the young country has little control over ethnic Serbs who suffered reprisal attacks after the province broke away from Serbia and reject the authority of the ethnic Albanian-dominated government in Pristina.
“Kosovo is determined for dialogue with Serbia, for normalization of relations,” Thaci said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press. “Kosovo will benefit, Serbia will benefit. It will mean an end to the era of conflicts in the region and a faster process of integration of all countries.”
The nation of about two million people, predominantly ethnic Albanians of Muslim faith, belongs to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, but cannot have its own telephone prefix because it does not belong to the United Nations. The International Olympic Committee rejected its bid to participate in this summer's London Olympics, but FIFA has ruled that its members can play soccer matches against Kosovo. Over 90 countries have recognized Kosovo's independence, including much of Europe, and the number will soon top 100, Thaci said.
Serbia insists it will never recognize Kosovo, which it views as a national heartland, but the EU wants Belgrade to normalize ties with Pristina as a precondition for EU membership.
Thaci and Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic did not meet at the United Nations, though they both attended a reception for European leaders, where the newly-elected Serbian nationalist left without speaking to his counterpart.
Despite the snub, Thaci said he was eager for negotiations with Serbia. “We need to start,” he said. “The more delays we face, the more difficult this process will become. Therefore both Kosovo and Serbia should fight to catch up, in order to have a faster integration process.”
Kosovo will soon find out if it is on the right track toward integration.
The EU is slated to release a report Oct. 10 on Kosovo's progress on preparing for a Stabilization and Association Agreement, the first step in the long path to membership. Earlier this month, in a sign of confidence that Kosovo has matured since its unilateral declaration of independence in 2008, a 25-nation group made up of the US, Turkey and EU countries formally ended supervision of the young country, which it had guided since the end of its bloody war with Serbia.
A massive international presence remains, however. About, 5,600 NATO-led peacekeepers are still in charge of security and a 3,000-strong EU mission has the final say in legal matters. Corruption, organized crime, smuggling and high unemployment remain huge problems. — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.