US Urges New Kosovo Government To Prioritize Talks With Serbia - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th February, 2021) The United States is calling on the new government in Kosovo to make talks with Serbia its priority, Department spokesperson Ned price said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

"When it comes to the dialogue with Serbia, the United States strongly supports the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia aimed at a comprehensive normalization agreement which should be centered on mutual recognition," Price told reporters. "We will encourage the new government once formed to prioritize those negotiations."

With more than 97 percent of ballots counted, the opposition Vetevendosje party looked set to win the Sunday parliamentary election with 48.1 percent of the vote. The Democratic Party came second with 17.4 percent, while the ruling Democratic League finished third with 13.2 percent.

"We congratulate the people of Kosovo on their successful parliamentary elections.

We look forward to working with the government once formed on priority issues to advance peace, justice and prosperity in Kosovo and the broader region," Price said.

Vetevendosje has refused to look for a compromise in a dialogue with Serbia, which has rejected recognizing the independence of Kosovo and Metohija and maintains those are historically and legally Serbian lands.

Albanians in Kosovo broke away from Serbia after conducting a campaign of terror against Serbs and other nationalities living there and after NATO forces undertook a 78-day military campaign in 1999 against what was then SR Yugoslavia, consisting of Serbia and Montenegro.

On Sunday, the self-proclaimed republic held an early election to appoint 120 legislators to its parliament. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence, which prevents both of them from joining the European Union.