White House: Kosovo-Serbia summit on economic issues, US has no secret plan

A special adviser to President Donald Trump said Tuesday that talks between Kosovo and Serbia this week will focus on developing economic co-operation between the two countries, as an incentive to press politicians from the two countries to resolve problems between Pristina and Belgrade.

The adviser who spoke to reporters on condition that it was not identified said everyone could see that “we are stuck on the political aspect, always talking about the same issues, without any progress”.

President Trump wanted to see if by focusing on economic development and job creation for young people, this would somehow change the dynamics of the situation, so for more than a year, we have focused entirely on economic normalisation, to find a way to encourage parties to put political issues aside”.

He cited agreements on air transport, railway and road as examples, calling them <x0historic”.

The president's special adviser said that in talks with Kosovo and Serbia on Thursday and Friday, the United States will try “advance these agreements.

And then we'll add other topics under discussion to create trade, economic development and jobs”, he said.

In response to a question by the Voice of America, if you predict when this economic process will be combined with political, he said he did not want to make predictions.

If the parties sign something they think is right, maybe I could use the word balance. If the parties believe in the word balance, they're getting more than they're giving, and they think it's a good deal, then they'll sign. We have no secret plan, no preconditions. It belongs to the parties”.

The president's Special Adviser said he thinks the political community of the two countries has failed to secure progress and the business communities of the two countries are disappointed.

He said the United States has no prejudice over any solution the sides will agree to. Asked whether President Donald Trump will take part in some way in the meeting, the special adviser did not respond indefinitely, but said he is involved in the process and in discussions about what the American side can do to give priority to economic projects.

But in the end, I think that the parties should be able to score progress so that the United States can continue to use these mechanisms vigorously”, he said.

“We will reverse the scenario, go first to people, arouse enthusiasm for the growth of the economy and let those political issues emerge secondary to”, the adviser said.

Asked whether mutual recognition would be one of the topics, the adviser reiterated that there is no predetermined topic, but that the talks will be a test if the parties are open to co-operation and to overturn the way they think, but said “progress should be noted in economic development for the United States to continue focusing its attention” on the issue.

It's up to the parties whether they want to move forward or not, and whatever the media have said, the United States doesn't have a secret plan, it won't look for something”, adding that its own demand is that if they want the money of the United States to score progress on the economic front.
The Special Adviser said he has never participated in any conversation about exchange of territories. / VOA/