US State Department: Kosovo and Serbia to determine on their own foreign policy priorities

English

Gazeta Express

13/05/2022 12:20

Yesterday, Kosovo has officially applied for membership into the Council of Europe. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has reacted to Kosovo’s move claiming that Pristina has violated the 2020 Washington Agreement with Kosovo agreeing to a one-year moratorium on efforts to join international organizations while Serbia agreed to a one-year moratorium on its campaign against recognition of Kosovo as a state.

But the pledge for a one-year moratorium has already expired while the US, who brokered the deal say that the moratorium was designed to expand the space for discussion and compromise between the two countries. A US State Department spokesperson told Gazeta Express Friday that Kosovo and Serbia are sovereign countries with the right to determine their own foreign policy priorities.

“Kosovo and Serbia are sovereign countries with the right to determine their own foreign policy priorities. The moratorium was designed to expand the space for discussion and compromise between Kosovo and Serbia, which we believe is in both countries’ strategic interests.  We maintain that the EU-facilitated Dialogue on normalization of their relations is essential for both countries to unlock their European futures and urge their urgent, flexible, and serious engagement in that process,” a State Department Spokesperson said. /GazetaExpress/