Serb representatives in northern Kosovo and President Boris Tadic agreed on Aug. 7 to continue cooperation with the international community, within the strict confines of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244.

"It was agreed that all us of together will preserve peace, unity and stability in that part of Kosovo and Metohija, to continue cooperation with representatives of the international community and in each contact to request that representatives of the international community respect Resolution 1244," Kosovska Mitrovica district chief Radenko Nedeljkovic told the press after the meeting.

In a statement to BETA, Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic, who attended the meeting, said he hoped that the Serbs in northern Kosovo would lift roadblocks since their representatives had declared that they stood by the state of Serbia, which had reached an agreement with KFOR.

When asked whether the Serb representatives had accepted the agreement reached between Belgrade representatives and KFOR, Nedeljkovic said he believed that "no one is requesting that the agreement be accepted or not since the agreement has been reached."

"The agreement has been reached between our state of Serbia, on one side, and the commander of KFOR on the other. After we return to the province, we will hold a joint session to undertake measures towards fulfilling our obligations deriving from the agreement," Nedeljkovic explained.

He further said that full cooperation was arranged with Serbia's institutions and that the Serbs in northern Kosovo had received full support. Nedeljkovic added that another arrangement was that problems in the region be resolved in the future jointly by Serbian officials and local Serb representatives.

Tadic says peace and unity are of utmost importance

Serbian President Boris Tadic said during the Sunday meeting with heads of municipalities and municipal assemblies from the north of Kosovo that peace and unity are of utmost importance for the province.

The president's press service released that participants of the meeting agreed that the international institutions in Kosovo-Metohija KFOR and EULEX have to remain neutral in reference to the status issue.

During the talks, the special emphasis was placed on the support Serbia must offer to its citizens in northern Kosovo, and vice versa, the release adds.

“In the constructive talks which lasted more than three hours, the participants concluded that peace and unity are of utmost importance for the province,” the release reads.

Besides Serbs from the north of Kosovo, Head of the Belgrade negotiating team (in dialogue with Pristina) Borislav Stefanovic and Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic also attended the meeting.