Escobar warns new sanctions and emphasis on functioning Kosovo dialogue- Serbia

The US will continue to use sanctions, but Escobar says this is not the only way America engages.

I have said that I don't like to talk about sanctions in general, for many reasons, but primarily about the fact that this is not how the United States is engaged in the region, especially Albania. We have so many positive ways of engagement and we will continue to use them. However, there will be other definitions in the region”, Escobar said.

He was also asked about the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia and the possibility of reaching a final agreement. Escobar has warned that soon he will visit the Western Balkans along with European Union emissary Miroslav Lajcak.

“commands to be seen. We are starting this new year with renewable energy and a new emphasis on the functioning of dialogue. Soon I will take a trip to the region, along with Mr. Lajcak, to signal our support for dialogue and to demonstrate our commitment towards the functioning of dialogue. It's an EU-led dialogue, but we strongly support it. And I hope we make progress. But I have to say that in this direction, the issue of Serbia and Kosovo has not only ties to the United States and Europe, but also to our colleagues in the region. And in that direction I would say that Albania has been very helpful. Tirana speaks with both sides constructively and fully supports our efforts to establish a stable relationship between Serbia and Kosovo, which we value”, Escobar said.

The senior US official said the US would engage with Kosovo and Serbia in achieving mutual recognition, responding to the question of whether there will be greater American involvement in dialogue between the two countries.

We will engage intensively with both countries. Yes, we will show our support for the dialogue with even concrete steps. We will help, we will work with our European partners to realise whatever is decided in this dialogue, in this EU-led process. So, yes, we will be very busy in the process, but not only in Serbia and Kosovo, but throughout the region and not only on political issues, but economic issues as well. We see many possibilities for economic development in the region, especially in Albania and Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro, so we will continue to work in all directions”, he said.

Escobar said the focus should be on multiethnic reconciliation, regional economic integration, European standards.

He named the initiative of the Open “Balkan” as positive, but said it cannot be effective without the participation of all countries in the region. Escobar stressed that the involvement of all is a condition of the US to support this initiative.

It can't. And this is the condition we support: First to meet the Berlin standards established by the European Union. And second to be open to all countries and practically doesn't work without all the places. You can't stop the pipes, you can't stop the highways. You can't have a free trade zone if you have to stop somewhere in the middle of the road and have trucks waiting in line for five hours, so the initiative should include all countries in order to be European because, ultimately, to have a free trade zone, you have to have institutions that can manage goods and money effectively”, Escobar said.

So this is standard and these are the two conditions: to be open to all and to follow the right standards and institutions. These are the terms of our support for this” project, he added.