3 hours agoUS lawmakers call on Beden to commit to resolving Kosovo-Kosovo tensions Serbia
Periskopi(5 years ago)
(5 years ago)Some US lawmakers have called on US President Joe Biden and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to commit to a final solution between Kosovo and Serbia and to double US attention to resolving tensions between the two countries. The call was made through a letter from the Albanian Affairs Group in [...]
The call was made through a letter from the Albanian Affairs Group at the American Congress, broadcast the Voice of America.
The last “has emerged a disturbing situation as a result of military mobilization at the border, threatening uncertain stability in the Balkan region. In view of the non-proportional force of Serbia's armed forces, we call on you to renew the United States' commitment to ensure that our ally Kosovo receives fair treatment and recognition as an independent country”, the American lawmakers' letter says.
Tensions in Kosovo's north escalated for 13 days after Kosovo imposed reciprocity measures on the issue of vehicle plates, demanding that temporary license plates be used on its territory.
The Kosovo government has said the same move towards Kosovo vehicles is being used by Serbia for many years.
At the vicinity of two border points in the north, the one in Brnjak and Jarinje were deployed to Kosovo special units, while local Serbs place barricades on the road.
But an agreement on the use of stickers covering state symbols on the license plates agreed in Brussels between Kosovo and Serbia delegations on September 30th enabled the removal of barricades and special police units.
The group for Albanian Affairs, which co-chairs members of the Ricchie Torres the Jim Hynes Congress, in their letter says Kosovo's move was taken after ten years that Serbia has taken up the move.
“Since Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, Serbia has refused to recognise Kosovo as an independent nation. This is reflected in an agreement in which Serbia allowed only vehicles displaying license plates with “KS” (Kosovo) and refused access to vehicles showing license plates with “RKS” (The Republic of Kosovo)”, said in the letter of lawmakers.
On paper, they cited escalation of tensions between the two countries as Serbian warplanes flew near the Kosovo-Serbia border.
“Zumca, if not all Serbian military equipment used, were secured by Russia, Serbia's closest ally. Russian Ambassador to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko visited the border on September 26th 2021, along with Serbian Defence Minister Nebojsa Stefanović and Serbian Army Chief of Staff Milan Mojsilović, what is seen as a bill and further support of Serbia's” tactics, is said in the letter of American lawmakers in which American administrations are also encouraged to join partners in the EU and NATO to support dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia to find a peaceful and final solution.
In addition to the co-chairs of the Albanian affairs group Torres and Himes, the letter has been signed by members of this group: Elissa Slotkin, Joe Courtney, Mondair Jones, Caroline B. Malone and James P. McGovern.
