Political status of Kosovo

Tanin is in Belgrade as part of his regular visit to Belgrade ahead of the upcoming UN Security Council session on the work of UNMIK, the Serbian government announced, citing a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

While Serbian politicians, including the President, publicly mull holding a referendum on Serbia- Kosovo relations, few experts believe it will solve much.

Speaking in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday, the Albanian prime minister said this could happen "under the assumption that Serbia recognizes Kosovo."

"This is a performance-based process. Serbia has advantage because it is already negotiating and we hope to start negotiations this year," Rama said.

It should treat Kosovo and protection of human and minority rights in a different manner, as well as the position of Vojvodina, the party said in a statement.

The Serbian president says Serbia and Kosovo will exchange information on the killing of ethnic Serb politician, despite Pristina rejecting Belgrade’s request to take part in the investigation.

German and French envoys are adding to diplomatic pressure on Kosovo not to try to stop the new Specialist Chambers – which will try former Kosovo guerrillas – from coming into operation.

Serbia will never recognize Kosovo, Serbian Ambassador to Albania Miroljub Zaric has said.

He made the statement during his visit to Shkoder for Orthodox Christmas last Sunday, and said that "Kosovo is Serbia."

BELGRADE - The Association of Families of Kidnapped and Missing Persons in Kosovo-Metohija on Tuesday called for making the issue of Serbs kidnapped and missing in Kosovo-Metohija the primary subject of the Brussels dialogue.

It should be the number one subject in 2018, the association said in a statement.

"We are deeply concerned by ongoing efforts to undermine the work of the Specialist Chambers, as well as by the December 29 presidential pardons of three individuals convicted of murder in the so-called 'Hajra Family Case'," a joint statement said, and added:

Serbian and Russian presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin have reached agreement on the most important points in relations between the two countries.

The Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti is reporting this on Thursday, referring to the talks in the Kremlin on Tuesday.