Reeker to be appointed senior US European Affairs official, what he said about Kosovo

Reeker served as US ambassador to Macedonia from 2008 to 2011 and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau for European and Asian Affairs from 2011 to 2013.

In 2013, Reeker had visited Kosovo, where she had met with then-President Atifete Jahjaga and then Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, Koha.net reports.

At a meeting with Jahjaga, Philip Reeker, in the quality of US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, had stressed the importance of reaching the agreement for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and also the importance of implementing it, “since this allows for the relaxation of reports between the two countries”.

He had said that Kosovo and the Balkan region have noted progress on the path to integrations, and praised that it is important that Kosovo participate in regional initiatives and its contribution to these initiatives.

At the meeting with Thaci, Ruecker had reaffirmed the continuation of the steadfast support of the United States of America for dialogue and had commended then Prime Minister Thaci for his “dedication and the Government of Kosovo”.

“The US supports Kosovo's territorial integrity”, Reeker had stressed at the time, adding that “dialog has to continue to move towards integration and good neighbourhood”.

But then US Deputy Secretary of State Philip Reeker had addressed sharp criticism at the address of the Vetevendosje Movement, charging him with obstructing processes, obstructing the work of institutions and the work of diplomats -- referring to the incident with then US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracy Ann Jacobson.

These comments, Reeker had made during a press conference, accompanied by then Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, with whom he had held meetings with political party leaders, other than those of Vetevendosje.

Reeker ordered Vetevendosje and all who, as he had said, “have clown behavior” to keep in mind that he, Ambassador Jackobson or any other American diplomat does not represent themselves, but the American state and the president of the United States.

“Those who want to play and be violent should think twice about their actions for their country's future”, Reeker said, ordering them away that such behavior does not belong to the XXI century.

The US diplomat's critics had followed the then Vetevendosje protests for obstructing ratification of the Kosovo agreement Serbia, during which the American ambassador was prevented from entering the Parliament building, where he also suffered a slight injury on his arm.