US Department for Kosovo-Serbian Debate Reaction on Territorials

The US State Department urged Kosovo and Serbia to avoid negative rhetoric and work together for an agreement providing stability for both countries and the region.

A State Department spokesman told the Voice of America that the <x0-politicality of this administration is stable: the essence of any agreement on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia should come from the parties themselves. We will continue to support both sides and the European Union as facilitators. Kosovo and Serbia must reach an agreement that is applicable, stable and creates no instability in any country or region. This will require foresight and flexibility on both sides. We encourage parties to take full ownership of the process, lower negative rhetoric and work together constructively”, the statement on the Voice of America said.

Recent days have added to the ideas put forward by both sides for Kosovo's land division, exchange of territories or “correction of the border” under the process of normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

The talks are expected to resume in September and would have to lead to a comprehensive legal binding agreement for normalising relations between Kosovo, which has entered the 11th year of independence and Serbia that continues to reject it.

The agreement is a condition for both sides to progress on their path towards integration into the European Union.