Head of the Belgrade negotiating team Borko Stefanovic confirmed Saturday that agreement was reached in the dialogue with Pristina on integrated control of administrative crossings in Kosovo.

Stefanovic told a news conference in Serbia's mission to the EU that after the completion of talks Friday night, when he said that no agreement had been reached, the Belgrade delegation received guarantees and details regarding the crossings.

We did not cause confusion, last night there was no agreement, but in the meantime we got guarantees and details on the crossings so that now I can say that the deal was reached and will go into effect when it is adopted by the relevant national authorities and when its implementation becomes possible, Stefanovic said.

The agreement, he specified, refers to the integrated control of crossings that will be unique, which means that here will be only one checkpoint which will be manned by the Serbian police and customs, EULEX officials, and Kosovo police and Kosovo customs officers who will act as observers.

Stefanovic said that this agreement has improved the foreign policy position of Serbia on the eve of the decision on Serbia's EU candidacy next week.

The text of the agreement to which Tanjug had access reads that EULEX officials will have the executive function at two crossings, which is in accordance with their mandate.

EULEX will have the authority, and Kosovo officials will be monitors.

Stefanovic has also pointed out that contrary to what Pristina requested, the Gates 1 and 31 (Jarinje and Brnjak) will have a special status, as EULEX has no executive function for the rest.

Serbia's bodies will act as at Rudnica, said Stefanovic, thereby referring to the checkpoint which is located in central Serbia before the administrative line.

According to Stefanovic, the customs monitors will not have executive authorizations.

This solution confirmed Serbia's statehood and fully complies with its Constitution and the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, he said.

Stefanovic explained that this agreement does not cover the fiscal and revenue arrangements, so that Pristina will not be able to abuse it and conduct its tax policy on its basis.

In reaching this agreement, we took care about the situation on the ground, which means that citizens who use Serbian registration plates and documents cannot be harassed and punished, he said.

As a special success in this agreement, Stefanovic noted that Serbia's police and financial officers would return to Kosovo and there exercise their functions, which is in accordance with Resolution 1244.

At the Jarinje and Brnjak crossings there would be no state symbols on which Pristina attempted to insist, he added.

Stefanovic explained that the main problem during the course of talks so far was Pristina's attempt to impose confirmation of state border and symbols, but this was prevented.

The concept of integrated management of the crossings was proposed by Serbia, not by Pristina or the EU, he noted.

Stefanovic said that care had to be taken about the real situation on the ground, which had deteriorated due to unilateral moves by Pristina after reaching the agreement on customs stamps.

It was necessary to return to dialogue and find a joint solution and in this we succeeded. Now it remains for the state authorities to take the necessary decisions to implement this agreement, Stefanovic said.

He added that the full text of the agreement will be submitted to the parliament and the competent committees so that everything will be transparent.

According to Stefanovic, as regards the regional representation of Pristina, although the attitude of the two delegations in the early rounds were considerably brought closer on this issue, so far no deal was made.

He said that the talks would be resumed next week via video link.