Official regrets Kosovo Albanians refuse to discuss power supply to Serb areas

Belgrade, 27 April: The dialogue conducted by the Pristina and Belgrade working groups on energy [held in Belgrade today] was constructive and productive, said British diplomat Jolly Dickson, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the EU.

"Both sides agreed to draft reports concerning the situation in the electric energy system, and the reports will serve the preparation of the next meeting of the working groups," Dickson said at the Serbia-Montenegro Palace.

He added that "both sided expressed regret that there was a break in the work of the working groups", noting that the aim of today's meeting was "to conduct professional and technical dialogue" regarding energy issues.

Members of the Albanian working group declined to give any statements to journalists at the Serbia-Montenegro Palace, while a member of the Serbian delegation, [Serb List for Kosovo-Metohija official] Randjel Nojkic, said that "no agreement was reached about supplying Serb villages with electric energy, which was our priority".

"I am sorry that representatives of the international community expressed solidarity with the [ethnic] Albanians who assessed that delivering electricity to Serb villages was Kosovo's internal problem and did not want to discuss this today. Nevertheless, we managed to place this problem on the agenda for the next meeting," Nojkic said.

Nojkic added that "the Serbs must participate in Kosovo institutions", noting that this was the only way for Serbs to show that the Standards were not being fully implemented, and also to exercise their rights.

Source: FoNet news agency, Belgrade, in Serbian 1313 gmt 27 Apr 05