January 15 (SeeNews) - Serbia's government said on Monday it will resume its talks for normalisation of relations with Kosovo on January 18 after a suspension that has lasted for more than a year.
The meeting will be held in Brussels and the talks will focus on the freedom of movement, the integrated management of border crossings, justice and energy, the Serbian government said in a statement.
The meeting will be the first one between Belgrade and Pristina on an expert-political level after more than 13 months. The last meeting was held at the end of November and beginning of December 2016, according to the statement.
According to the Serbian news agency Tanjug, the meeting will focus on the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo, which should define some type of autonomy for the Serbian minority.
Belgrade insists on the launch of such community, as it was one of the first agreements reached in the framework of the talks for normalisation of relations with Kosovo. However, Pristina has not yet delivered on the commitment for establishing of the community.
The dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo for normalisation of their relations has been carried out since 2013 under the auspices of the European Union (EU).
Serbia opened Chapter 35 - Other Issues: Relations with Kosovo in its negotiations for EU membership in December 2015. Among the conditions for the successful closing of the chapter is Serbia to discontinue funding and support of Serbian structures such as interim municipal councils, in order to finalise and consolidate municipal administrations in line with Kosovo law.
Serbia does not recognise the independence of Kosovo, its former province predominantly populated by ethnic Albanians. Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia in February 2008 and has so far been recognised by 108 of the 193 UN members states.