Borrell sets Kurt's conditions for the new round of dialogue

2023-06-14 22:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The high representative for foreign policy and security of the European Union, Josep Borrell, said that a new round of dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia cannot be organized before Kosovo takes steps to escalate the situation.

Borrell has thus responded to the letter that the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, sent him a few days ago, presenting his five-point plan, which according to the Kosovo Prime Minister will help reduce tensions in the north of the country.

"As you know, I am ready to call a high-level meeting with you and [Serbia's] President Aleksandar Vu?i?, on the condition that you are willing to first take the steps for the extension and pave the way for the elections. cloud. We cannot make progress in normalizing relations as long as we deal with crisis management. All 27 EU countries, but also the USA, have invested a lot in the normalization process and we want to see this process move forward. Therefore, escalation of the situation is required to happen immediately. If you are willing to take the necessary steps, a new meeting can be quickly arranged," Borrell said in the letter he sent to Kurt.

The European official has requested that the new Albanian mayors in the municipalities in the north do not work from their offices in the municipal facilities, the withdrawal of the police from the vicinity of these buildings and the holding of new elections in the four northern municipalities.

"At the same time, we are asking Serbia to support the withdrawal of radical elements from these areas," Borrell wrote.

On June 13, Kurti announced that he has sent Borrell the five-point plan for expanding the situation in the north.

He has also discussed this plan with the representatives of the QUINT countries (USA, Great Britain, Italy, France and Germany).

Borrell also stopped at point three of Kurti's plan for the Kosovo Police, NATO and the EU Rule of Law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, to conduct joint security assessments.

The senior European official said that this issue can be discussed after the escalation of the situation in the north of Kosovo.

"However, this means that you have to consider the options of EULEX and KFOR and treat them as partners, which means prior coordination with them," said Borrell.

He said that this did not happen during the June 13 police operation in North Mitrovica, when Millun Millenkovic was arrested, whom Kosovo accuses of being one of the organizers of violent events against KFOR in Zveçan on May 29 and for events of others.

"Therefore, any future role of law enforcement measures in northern Kosovo should be discussed and individually assessed together with EULEX and KFOR. Events in the past have shown that not every measure taken by Kosovo under the umbrella of the rule of law can be supported by your international partners, in the context of a very sensitive environment", said Borrell.

He called on Kurti to take steps to de-escalate the situation in the north, meeting the demands of the US and the EU.

"Only after peace and stability are restored in the north of Kosovo, we can focus on normalization, through the implementation, by both sides, of the Agreement on the road to normalization and its Annex. The work to establish the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo should start immediately without delays and preconditions", he said, warning that if Kosovo fails to escalate the situation, it will face measures.

Some diplomatic sources have told Radio Free Europe on June 13 that the European Union has prepared initial measures, such as sanctions against Kosovo due to the disregard of requests for immediate steps by the Government of Kosovo to reduce tensions in the north.

EU: We are verifying the events on the Kosovo-Serbia border line
June 14, 19:21

While on June 14, the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano, said that the EU does not exclude the possibility that Kosovo will face other measures, if the Government of this country does not fulfill the international requirements.

The EU and the United States have presented Kurti with three demands: calming the situation in the north, holding new elections in the four municipalities in the north and returning to the dialogue for the normalization of Kosovo-Serbia relations./ REL