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Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti expressed optimism that an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo could be reached within a few months, Kosovo Radio and Television reported, citing an interview the Kosovo prime minister gave to Swiss newspaper Blik.

Kurti is currently in the Swiss city of Davos, where he is participating in the World Economic Forum.

"I am optimistic that an agreement (between Kosovo and Serbia) can be reached within a few months, if there is a desire to reach one, and there is support (from) the democratic West, i.e.

EU, NATO, USA and UK.

I have expressed my desire to do so.

But an agreement requires two parties.

In order to have long-term peace, security and regional stability, Serbia needs to distance itself from two things: from (former Serbian President Slobodan) Milosevic's past and now from (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.

Because Serbia is getting closer and closer to Russia.

(Vladimir) Putin wants to fuel (Serbia's) conflict with Kosovo," said Kurti, quoted by KosovaPress.

Putin can announce a second mobilization wave at any moment

Kurti added that Kosovo's success was hindering the Russian president and said Putin "is obsessed with Kosovo."

"I'm careful, but I'm never afraid.

I am vigilant.

Putin is obsessed with our country (Kosovo).

He is pleased with the lack of success of Western intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is angry and annoyed by the fact that (the West) has been successful in Kosovo," Kurti added.

In his interview with the Swiss newspaper "Blik", Kurti also spoke about the situation in the northern part of Kosovo, saying that at the moment it is calm there and there is a presence of the Kosovo police.

"I recently made a public appeal to all Serbs in Kosovo to apply for jobs in public services, for example in the police.

This comes after Serbian officials resigned following tensions in northern Kosovo.

I do not aim to replace the Serbs in power with Albanians!

I want the Serbs (to come) to these positions," Kurti said.

The latest escalation of the crisis in Kosovo-Serbia relations began with the decision of the government in Pristina to change the Serbian license plates on the cars of Kosovo Serbs to Kosovo ones.

Serbian representatives left the Kosovo institutions and police forces, and units of the Kosovo police moved into predominantly Serb areas.

After negotiations and compromise, Pristina has for now given up on changing the license plates, but tensions have been fueled by the arrest of a former Kosovo Serb member of the local police. 

In protest, Kosovo Serbs erected barricades on December 10, blocking roads and some border crossings in northern Kosovo for about twenty days.

They demanded the release of arrested former policeman Dejan Pantic, who Kosovo authorities say had organized attacks on electoral bodies.

After Pantic was released from prison under house arrest, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic

Aleksandar Vucic - Serbian lawyer and politician. Aleksandar Vucic was born on March 5, 1970 in Belgrade.

spoke with representatives of the Serbs from Kosovo in Raška, the removal of the barricades in the northern part of Kosovo also began.

Alexander Vucic