Kosovo status process

Relations with Kosovo are expected to dominate meetings between Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and Serbian officials on her visit to Belgrade on July 8-9.

German leader Angela Merkel lent broad support to Kosovo's EU aspirations while urging it to continue talks with Serbia during the Kosovo Prime Minister's one-day visit to Berlin on Tuesday.

Chancellor Angela Merkel recalled that Germany had been one of the first states to recognise Kosovo's independence in 2008.

Angela Merkel has called on Belgrade and Pristina to reach compromise, stressing that only progress in their dialogue would bring them closer to the EU.

"It's time to achieve compromise," the German chancellor has been quoted as saying during a joint news conference with Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa in Berlin.

The Russian mission at the United Nations in New York will on Monday submit a draft resolution on Bosnia-Herzegovina to the UN Security Council.

German Ambassador in Belgrade Heinz Wilhelm stated on Friday that Germany wishes Serbia's negotiating chapters to open as soon as possible.

He added that the Kosovo issue needs to be resolved.

Kosovo's main parties are backing a proposed parliamentary resolution to launch a genocide law suit against Serbia, but insist it will not damage ongoing talks between Pristina and Belgrade.

BRUSSELS - The position of the EU on the status of Kosovo has not changed and the question of its recognition is a question for EU member countries, spokesperson of the European Commission (EC) Catherine Ray said on Friday.

PRISTINA - Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa asked on Wednesday NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for the military alliance's support in transforming Kosovo's Security Force into armed forces.

Property issues "no priority" - U.S. ambassador

BELGRADE -- U.S. Ambassador Michael Kirby said on Monday there were currently "more important issues to be addressed than those related to property in Kosovo.2

He noted that the implementation of the agreements reached in 2014 should be a priority in the further dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Parties react to president's announced "Kosovo plan"

BELGRADE -- Serbia will next year, "along with implementing the Brussels agreement," present its proposal for Kosovo's final status, a Belgrade daily writes.