Serbia, Kosovo Talks Reach 'Decisive Stage' The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo have reached a decisive stage in EU-mediated talks, focusing on the thorny issue of the status of Serb-dominated northern Kosovo. EU-mediated talks The talks - the eighth session between Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci - are being held Tuesday in Brussels under the mediation of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Kosovo, a former Serbian province, declared independence in 2008. While many countries have recognized it as an independent country, Serbia has not. Neither have many of the ethnic Serbs living in northern Kosovo. They do not see themselves as subject to the government in Pristina, which is dominated by ethnic Albanians. In order for Serbia to join the EU, it must normalize relations with Kosovo.