James O'Brien in Pristina to promote the implementation of the Kosovo-Serbia agreement

2024-10-21 19:38:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

James O'Brien in Pristina to promote the implementation of the

The US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, James O'Brien, is meeting Monday in Pristina with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, a day after meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, in a new effort to push for the implementation of the agreement on normalization of relations between the parties.

Before the meeting, the American ambassador in Pristina, Jeff Hovenier, wrote on social networks that the essential bilateral issues will be discussed with the Kosovo officials and the commitment of the United States to the people of Kosovo will be reiterated.

During the visit to Belgrade, the American diplomat said in an interview with Serbian state television that the United States wants Serbia and Kosovo to progress towards European integration.

According to a translation by Serbian state television, Mr. O'Brien called for the agreements reached to be respected, for the Pristina authorities to send the draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities to the Constitutional Court, and to discuss the integration into institutions of Serbs living in the north of Kosovo.

Mr. O'Brien is quoted as saying that the establishment of the Association is an important step and an obligation since 2015. But, according to him, the most important thing is that Serbs live as normal European citizens.

Kosovo has come under criticism from Western diplomacy for what have been described as unilateral and uncoordinated actions in the north where the authorities closed the Serbian parallel municipalities appointed by Belgrade, which Prishtina considers illegal.

The European Union as well as the United States have called on the parties to choose the open issues within the talks in Brussels, the continuation of which is expected this week at the level of chief negotiators.

The European envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia talks, Miroslav Lajcak, wrote on social networks that he is preparing for the next meeting that is expected to be held this Thursday, and according to him, now is the time to start diligently implementing the agreements reached in February and March. of last year./VOA

James O'Brien in Pristina to promote the implementation of the