Blinken, Borrell Discuss Serbia-Kosovo Normalizing Relations - US State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2023) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell discussed their support for normalizing ties between Serbia and Kosovo as well as the importance of the so-called Western Balkan nations' accession to the European Union, State Department spokesperson Ned price said on Friday.

"The Secretary and High Representative discussed their strong support for normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo in the run-up to the upcoming leaders' meeting in... Macedonia," Price said. "They also noted the importance of advancing merited EU accession of countries throughout the Western Balkans and the enduring strength of transatlantic unity in support of Ukraine."

On March 18, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo leader Albin Kurti are scheduled to meet in Macedonia with the participation of Borrell and EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.

The leaders will discuss issues regarding the political settlement between the two sides, involving the program for the implementation of the European-US plan for a settlement in Kosovo and Metohija.

On February 27, Borrell published the full text of the European Union's proposal that contains clauses on mutual recognition of documents and state symbols and Belgrade's consent not to prevent Pristina from joining international organizations.

The EU and US leaders insist that Kosovo Albanian authorities form a Community of Serb Municipalities complete with autonomy rights - in accordance with the 2013 Brussels Agreement.

US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier has said there is no better plan than the European Union's proposal for a Serbia-Kosovo settlement, which Washington fully supports.

However, Vucic has insisted that Serbia has fulfilled its part of the Brussels Agreement, while Kosovo, the independence of which Belgrade has never recognized, only started to develop the charter of the Community of Serbian Municipalities and then suspended the process.