Serbia and Kosovo again failed to clinch a deal to normalise ties and ease tension in the Balkans after lengthy talks brokered by the European Union lasting through Wednesday until Thursday. "Today has been a very long and intensive day," said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton at the close of negotiations that began early Wednesday but ended after midnight.
"I said last time that agreement was close, that the differences were narrow, but deep. I can say with real confidence today that the differences are narrow and very shallow," Ashton added in a statement. Saying there were "some hours left" ahead of a key EU ministers' meeting Monday that will focus on the Western Balkans, Ashton hoped both sides "will reflect on whether they can take the final steps necessary to finish this agreement and to move their people forward into the future".
Ashton in a surprise move called the Brussels talks between Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci in an 11th-hour bid to wrest a deal though EU-brokered talks two weeks earlier broke down after two years of efforts. An agreement between the two is necessary in the coming days if Belgrade is to win endorsement from a June EU summit to open much hoped-for negotiations to become a member of the bloc. No progress before next week could indefinitely delay Serbia's integration into the EU. And at the close of the talks, each side blamed the other.
Pristina, which unilaterally declared independence from Belgrade in 2008, is eyeing an association pact with the EU as a reward for normalising ties if a deal is done. Speaking to Serbia's RTS television, Dacic roundly blamed Kosovo for the latest breakdown. "Belgrade was ready to accept the deal," he said, "but Pristina conditioned it with (a request for Kosovo) membership in the United Nations. Belgrade continues to refuse to accept Kosovo's independence, now recognised by some 100 nations, including the United States, but not by five of the 27 EU nations - Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain. Kosovo's premier Thaci said that "Serbia has not accepted a deal today, but I hope it will accept it in the coming days.