January 26 (SeeNews) - Serbia's president Aleksandar Vucic has said the talks for normalisation of relations with Kosovo will be resumed later this year.
"It will certainly be much before the end of the year," Vucic said on the sidelines of the Davos World Economic Forum in a video file posted on the website of Serbian public broadcaster RTS on Thursday.
On January 16, Serbia withdrew its delegation from the new round of talks for normalisation of relations with Kosovo in Brussels as a result of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, a leading Kosovo Serb politician, who was shot dead in Kosovska Mitrovica.
However, on January 18, the European Commission spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said Vucic and the president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, have agreed to resume the EU-facilitated normalisation talks between the two governments during a phone conversation on January 17.
"Today, there was a kind of dialogue [with Kosovo authorities]. This is not a problem. The problem is that we are seeking a solution related to the investigation of the murder of Oliver Ivanovic," Vucic said.
Serbia's government last week requested the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the EU's Rule of Law mission (EULEX) to allow the Serbian authorities to take part in the investigation of the murder.
Belgrade does not recognise the independence of Kosovo, its former province predominantly populated by ethnic Albanians. Kosovo proclaimed independence from Serbia unilaterally in February 2008 and has so far been recognised by 108 of 193 UN members states.
The negotiations for normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina are facilitated by the European Union under Chapter 35 of Serbia's EU accession talks. Serbia's government said on Monday, just a day before the murder of Ivanovic, it would resume its talks with Pristina after a suspension that had lasted for more than a year.