May 27, 2013 - 10:42 AMT
Serbian govt. approves plan to improve relations with Kosovo

The government of Serbia has approved a plan to improve relations with Kosovo in line with the April 19 agreement, according to RIA Novosti.

Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic immediately informed EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton about the move. The implementation of the agreement is vital for the start of the talks on Serbia’s accession to the European Union.

Kosovo and Serbia signed a groundbreaking accord to normalize relations on April 19.

During an EU-chaired meeting in Brussels on May 22, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart, Hashim Thaci, have reached a preliminary agreement on a plan laying out actions and deadlines to implement this accord.

The plan, however, required a final approval from the governments of Serbia and Kosovo.

Kosovo, a landlocked region with a population consisting mainly of ethnic Albanians, declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008. More than 90 nations, including the United States, acknowledged Kosovo's independence.