Ivica Dačić, Prime Minister of Serbia, says that not starting EU accession negotiations would be an error and would inflict damage on stability in the region.

Interview: Progress for Serbia and Kosovo?

Good morning, Mr Dačić.  You are the Prime Minister of Serbia

and here today in the EP to explain the next  steps of the recent agreement with Kosovo.

Somebody in the meeting you were in said  it was as if you were running a marathon

and you were almost at the end  with a few kilometres to go.

Is it really like that? Or does the difficult part  start now? The implementation?

I mean, do the very difficult  challenges start now?

It was very difficult and politically risky  to make this agreement.

It's always harder to work for peace  than to start a war.

We were driven by the idea  that Serbia needed to reposition itself.

Serbia needed to reposition itself  politically and start a new era.

We know and see every day  that the Serbs from the north of Kosovo

So how do you hope  to persuade them to accept it?

The Serbs from the north of Kosovo  are against this agreement.

But we are investing all the effort necessary

in order to include them  in the implementation of this agreement,

despite the fact that  they're not satisfied with the text.

Through discussions, contact with them  and work on the ground.

We know that the only legal basis  recognised in this agreement

Are there enough guarantees of autonomy  for the Serbs of Kosovo and what are they?

This agreement is in fact  based on the guarantees

and the fact that it's leading  the negotiations,

with High Representative  Catherine Ashton at their head.

Part of the guarantees  also lie with NATO and KFOR,

which say that the future Kosovan army  will not be able to enter any territory

which is populated by a Serbian majority  without KFOR's authorisation.

In any case, I think that it's very important

that the guarantors in these discussions  are the EU and the international community

because the Serbs obviously  do not trust the authorities in Pristina.

that this agreement  will give a strong basis for the future?

All the agreements that have  been reached are status neutral.

but the regulation of everyday life  in Kosovo and Metohija.

With this in mind, the implementation  of these agreements

because it's in the interest  of the citizens of Kosovo.

As for the future, we're ready  for discussions about status,

but these discussions  were not part of this deal.

Are you confident  the European Council in June

will give a date to start  accession negotiations?

Any decision other than that  would be unfair, wrong,

and harmful for the stability  of the Balkan region.

Do you have date in mind  for the accession of Serbia? 2020?

It's difficult to say but we would all  like it to be as soon as possible.

Thank you very much, Mr Dačić.  -Thank you.