The American attitude towards Kosovo has not changed

veteran diplomat Philip Costett says the American stance regarding resolving disputes between Kosovo and Serbia has not changed.

Mr. Costett, appointed by the president as the next US ambassador to Kosovo, appeared before the Senate's Commission on Foreign Relations on Thursday. Senator Chris Murphy asked the diplomat about the meeting that had taken place at the end of July, Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic with White House adviser Jared Kouchner and comments after the meeting, when Mr. Dacic said that the American stance is now “closer to our” which has awakened many speculations about changes in the American stance. The senator asked about speculation about the possibility of support from the United States for the idea of exchanging territories. The senator sought to know what instructions the diplomat had received regarding the American stance and whether this attitude had changed lately.

Our position has not changed. We support the EU-brokered dialogue between the two countries. We think it is critical that both countries advance to overcome old tensions. We believe it is of critical importance that the two countries are able to discuss new ideas. This is not word-cod to cover the idea of exchange of territories. We want to see what ideas the two governments will present. Our long-term strategic goal is to see stability in the region, resolving old disputes between the two countries in ways that strengthen the two countries' ties with the West,” said Mr. Costet.

In his presentation, President Trump's nominated one listed his priorities if confirmed as the next US ambassador to Kosovo, where he first singled out increased dialogue with Serbia. The top priority for the United States is normalising Kosovo's relations with Serbia. This would strengthen regional stability and pave the way for the two countries' integration into the European Union. The United States fully supports dialogue between the two countries and intensifying high-level talks. If confirmed, Mr. Costnet said, I will encourage Kosovo to work on a solution that improves lives and guarantees the security of all its citizens,” said Mr. Costnett.