12 minutes agoAmerican Ambassador: We have influence over Pristina, but we cannot decide their fate
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)The United States Ambassador to Belgrade, Kyle Scott, has said that Kosovo should lift the tax on products of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, for Belgrade says it must take some steps to move towards the resumption of dialogue for normalisation of reports between the two sides. Scott said after [...]
Scott has said that following early elections on 6 October, he expects the new government to lead Kosovo to be ready to unblock dialogue, which has been halted since November of last year, as a result of the 100 per cent tax on revenge for Belgrade's diplomatic offensive against INTERPOL membership.
The “is clear that for Serbia it is a problem what the country will take out of a compromise, but I am convinced that the government and President Vuciq are willing to seek a compromise”, Scott has said of N1, broadcast Express.
Scott has already had criticism of the actions of Kosovo and Serbia institutions, which he says have blocked the negotiation process since November 2018.
I was optimistic that dialogue was moving in the right direction, but since the last fall the process took its wrong course. Serbia's campaign against Kosovo membership in INTERPOL, the Pristina tax, and then the Government of Serbia's decision not to return to dialogue. This has been a negative cycle. It is time to calm down and focus on the long-term interests of Serbia and Kosovo”, the ambassador has said.
Scott, meanwhile, has said that in the most optimistic scenario possible, the US has expectations that dialogue to resume before the election campaign in Serbia.
“We can expect to resume dialogue before the election campaign in Serbia”, the US ambassador has said.
Speaking of US-Kosovo reports, Scott has said that Washington certainly has some kind of influence in Pristina, but says the US cannot decide on Kosovo's fate.
“against US and European pressure, domestic political dynamics in Kosovo go in favour of the tax, and that measure is very popular”, he added.
Scott, meanwhile, has spoken of Kosovo's insistence on gaining recognition from Belgrade, meanwhile, says that any efforts by Serbia to question Kosovo's independence would boost Kosovo's resistance even more.
For Matthew's appointment Palmer, Scott has said it is a decision showing that the US is interested in staying in the region and maintaining an important role.
He has also criticised both sides who have not met the obligations that come out of the 2013 agreement, as Pristina and Belgrade should focus on meeting them so that there is progress.
