Confirmed: Opposition leaders to meet with Cholles at US Embassy

US State Department adviser Derek Chollet, accompanied by US envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar, will hold a joint meeting with opposition leaders Tuesday morning. Ambassador Jeff Havenier, whose home the meeting is organised, is also expected to be there.

The meeting has been called by the DASchet Councillor, who landed in Pristina on Monday afternoon accompanied by Escobar. The American duo in Kosovo will remain on Tuesday, where, in addition to opposition leaders, meetings are scheduled to hold even with heads of state President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

The invitation to meet with Councillor Chollet, who is prior to being held in the American Amasade in Pristina, has responded positively to the three opposition leaders -- Memli Krasniqi of PDK's Lumir Abdixhiku of LDK and Ramush Haradinaj of AAKA.

From the Democratic League of Kosovo, the presence of President Lumir Abdixhiku at this meeting has confirmed for Reporter Online.net, spokeswoman Sbel Halimi.

“Yes, confirmed that President Abdixhiku will participate in the” meeting, Halimi said.

The invitation to the meeting has also responded positively to AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj. The news was confirmed by the party's spokesman, the Xhemajli Objection.

“Yes, chairman Haradinaj has an invitation and will attend the meeting with US State Department Adviser Derek Chollet”, Xhemajli for Online Reporter.net has confirmed.

On the other hand, although there is still no official confirmation, Reporter Online.net with sources has confirmed the participation of Democratic Party of Kosovo Chairman Memli Krasniqi.

Derek Chollet's visit and Gabriel Escobar in Pristina take place at the time of increasing tensions in northern Kosovo, on the eve of extraordinary elections in Kosovo's four Serb-run municipalities.

Gabriel Escobar similar meetings with opposition leaders have held in three other times when visiting Kosovo this year.

And for Chollet it's the first time he's been an official The UN comes to Pristina. His arrival to Kosovo comes a few months after he had expressed his disappointment with the Government of Kosovo over the issue of license plates.

Councilman Cholet, prior to his arrival in Pristina, has called for the postponement of extraordinary elections in northern municipalities, scheduled to be held on December 18th.

In an interview for Voice of America, Chollet said that the United States thinks that “is not the right time for elections given the sensitivity of the moment and we have seen violence in the last 24 hours”.

It's a tense time and we want to make sure there are conditions to hold free and fair elections. Kosovo is a multiethnic democracy, like the United States”.

Chollet said continued talks are under way with leaders in Pristina, and US Ambassador Jeff Hovenier is very involved.

“I will be there next week and this will be among the main topics in talks with the president and prime minister while we expect to work on a common road before”, Chollet said.

Following his stay in Kosovo, US State Department Adviser Derek Chollet will also travel with an interilateral delegation to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Croatia and Belgium.

A U.S. Department report says that this visit underscores the United States' enduring commitment to peace, stability and progress in the region.

On December 12th and 13th, Councillor Cholles will stay in Pristina, where he will meet with government officials and other political leaders to discuss, reportedly, continued co-operation on a range of issues, including American efforts to advance Kosovo's integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, including the facilitated dialogue by the European Union to reach a comprehensive agreement on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is central to bilateral recognition<1>, says the DACURCUS report.