Belgrade, Vecernje Novosti, Jan 31 - A dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade should lead to establishing of so-called 'technical independence' of Kosovo, with no attributes of sovereignty, the Director of the US based NGO the Project for Democracy in Transition, Bruce Jackson assessed in an interview with Voice of America. According to him, Serbia could become a full-fledged EU member over the next ten years, so that issues such as the status of Kosovo would become irrelevant.

He points out that he disagrees with suggestions contained in the recent ICG report, adding that the report has not been highly regarded by the circles involved in settling the Kosovo issue. He hopes that the Contact Group will become less and less relevant in the process and that the main role would be taken by the EU. "As far as Russia is concerned, it never really cared very much for the Balkans. I think that the Russian role in settling problems such as the one in Kosovo is not particularly important," said Jackson.