Escobar: Kosovo meet demands for license plates, Association of Serb majority municipalities

Escobar praised the situation in northern Kosovo, where local institutions have remained without Serbian employees, who withdrew due to disagreements with the government's decision to convert Serbia's license plates.

“We have been very clear and open what we expect from both sides. From the Kosovo side, we have called for a one-year period of implementation to conduct a public announcement campaign and prepare the affected community to be willing to change car plates. We are also calling on them to begin putting the issue of the Association of Serb majority municipalities in order day. This is a request. From our point of view and from our QUINT partners, that's a request and we'll insist. On the Serbian side, we think that any protest should be peaceful and the departure of Serbs from institutions is not useful. I call on the parties to be ready to meet these issues immediately”, Escobar told the Voice of America.

Escobar said the time is for more dialogue and that the United States has been very clear during the negotiation process of what expectations are on the part of Kosovo.

“We have also been very clear with the Serbian side that we agree that the issue of the Association of Serb majority municipalities should be on the agenda. I have spoken with a wide range of voices within Kosovo that support this and are willing to help Kosovo fulfil international obligations on this issue”, Escobar said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday that Serbia is trying to mask the French-German initiative's rejection of an agreement between the two countries by making efforts to destabilise the situation in northern Kosovo. Escobar, who supports the Franco-German proposal, disagrees with this statement.

I don't think so. I think the reaction is to what's going on in the field. It's too early for us to weigh the answers. This situation, this crisis should be treated for what it is. There are tensions increasing due to lack of communication, lack of co-ordination and lack of will to participate and to fully engage in dialogue”, Escobar said.

He stressed that despite the results of Tuesday's elections in the United States, there will be no change in American approach to the Western Balkans.

Our view of the Western Balkans is that the region should be integrated into the community of Western democratic countries, which means membership in the European Union for all, NATO membership for those who want and regional integration for all to help resolve differences between them. So nothing will change as a result of the” elections, Escobar said, underlining that the United States remains committed to the security and sustainability of the Western Balkans.

“In fact, it was our efforts in co-ordination with our European allies that ensured the renewal of the resolution at the Security Council for the continuation of the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. And above all, we have a strong commitment to Kosovo's security and stability through KFOR”, the American envoy said.