Minister: Serbia without Kosovo cannot exist

"I think that with a calm attitude, but with strong arguments, we can always get what we want. The most important thing is to define the start and the starting position, the most important one. I think that has been determined and is unchangeable. It is respect for our Constitution and for international law, primarily UN Security Council Resolution 1244," Popovic told Sputnik in an interview.

According to him, the EU did not have the capacity to persuade the Kosovo Albanians to make any concessions.

"I am sure that a model will be found and that it is the broadest autonomy (for Kosovo) that there is anywhere in the world, but within the framework of 1244 and the Constitution of Serbia. The Brussels agreements are dead. The EU did not have the capacity to persuade the Albanians to make any concessions. The Serbian side was truly cooperative... the Albanians have not made a single step. The EU has done nothing," Popovic said.

He pointed out that UNSC Resolution 1244 has not been made obsolete, and was instead "solid as a rock."

"Now we need to find a new format of negotiations. Serbia is ready for a compromise. There can be no solution without the participation of America, Russia, China and the European Union, together," Popovic said.

He said he believed in the negotiation process - "which will be long" - and remarked that "the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."

"I think that the president (Vucic) is fully prepared for a compromise, the whole government, the Assembly, I'm sure. We really want to give them the broadest possible autonomy within the framework of Resolution 1244 and the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, and within Serbia," he said of Kosovo.

Speaking...