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BREAKING
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.
Sheikh Qassem: The government’s latest decision [on the disarmament of the Resistance] is non-charter-based, and if the government continues down this path, it is not faithful to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Deal between Serbia and Kosovo reached

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Aug 2022 09:36
4 Min Read

Yet Belgrade is calling the EU-US-sponsored negotiations "very unsuccessful, terribly difficult."

  • x
  • Serbia-Kosovo deal reached.
    EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell. (AFP)

Serbia and Kosovo reached an agreement on "freedom of movement" following weeks of tensions, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Saturday. He announced the deal between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's prime minister Albin Kurti.

In a statement following their meeting last week in Brussels and "intense follow-up efforts in Pristina and Belgrade," Borrell revealed that Serbia and Kosovo both agreed to forgo the introduction of entrance and exit documents for holders of Kosovo IDs.

Both Serbs and Kosovo residents living in the northern part of the breakaway province will be able to freely move between Serbia and Kosovo using their existing ID cards, said the statement, adding that the EU had "received guarantees from Prime Minister Kurti." 

Read next: Serbia, Kosovo did not reach agreement during Brussels talks: Borrell

Borrell then praised the development by saying that “we found a European solution that facilitates travel between Kosovo and Serbia.” He also lauded Vucic’s actions by saying that the Serbian president “showed responsibility and leadership today.” The senior EU diplomat also thanked the US “for their support to the EU-facilitated dialogue,” calling it “an example of excellent practical EU-US cooperation.” 

He admitted that “the problem with the license plates” had not yet been resolved and called on the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to “continue showing pragmatism and constructiveness” in this regard as well. Still, he said that “today is a very good day.”

Tension between #Kosovo and #Serbia after the former's new law. pic.twitter.com/2JYvWaoXMN

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 1, 2022

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Yet Belgrade didn't seem to be feeling as happy as Brussels. Vucic described the negotiations with "Albanians from Kosovo" as "very unsuccessful, terribly difficult," adding that "in the end we came to the point that we do not agree on anything." Vucic was speaking to Serbian citizens on Saturday.

Read next: Spies attempted to force me to take anti-Russia stance: Serbian MP

Mutual recognition is off the table 

The Serbian leader insisted that “mutual recognition” will never be on the agenda as Belgrade “cannot forget that Kosovo is part of Serbia.” He also said that officials in Brussels are wasting their time and money if they think they would be able to facilitate such an agreement.

When it comes to travel, Vucic did confirm that Serbia will recognize the IDs from Kosovo, but only "for practical reasons" in order to "enable freedom of movement". This action "cannot be interpreted as recognition of Kosovo's unilateral proclamation of independence, nor does it prejudice sovereignty," he continued.

Read next: Kosovo police intended to use force against Serbs in Kosovo: Official

What is important is that “Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija can move and enter and leave the territory of Kosovo and Metohija freely,” Vucic said, adding that Belgrade is asking “for guarantees from EU, we ask that every Serb from the north of Kosovo and Metohija can enter the territory of Kosovo and Metohija with Serbian documents, and that they can leave whenever they want.” 

The news broke a day after Gabriel Escobar, the US envoy for the Balkans, urged Serbia to recognize Kosovo and offered the two countries prosperity in the EU as a substitute. In response, Vucic stated that he was not shocked to get such a request from a US envoy.

“Don’t forget that he represents American politics. What do you expect from him, what news is this for you?!” the Serbian president said on Saturday, adding that “they [the US] tell us this for 23 years!”

  • Serbia
  • belgrade
  • Kosovo
  • Pristina
  • Josep Borrell

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