Houvenier answers Osman: US ready to advise Kosovo on association draft

US Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier has said Wednesday that the United States is willing to advise Kosovo in drafting the statute for Association of Serb majority municipalities.

However, he has mentioned that in the end, this issue is in the hands of the European Union, as mediator of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

In a conversation with reporters at the embassy, Havenier has said the US will welcome each of Kosovo's proposals on this topic, which will be “credient and reasonable”.

At the end of the day, this issue will belong to the EU-brokered dialogue. However, if Kosovo wants to consult with us, or others, how to make something better, we are willing to advise”.

This is Ambassador Havenier's first reaction to the issue, following Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani's statement earlier that Kosovo must prepare the draft state for the Association of Serb-run municipalities along with the United States.

Kosovo and Serbia have reached agreement on Association in 2013 and later 2015 on principles for its establishment.

But in 2015, the Constitutional Court of Kosovo has found that the agreement is not in full harmony with the Constitution.

Serbia wants Kosovo to implement the agreements reached, but the Kosovo government has been declared against a single-ethnic association.

Finally, the international community has increased pressure on Kosovo should seek the formation of association as soon as possible.

American diplomats have repeated several times that the United States believes that association should be fully in line with the Kosovo Constitution. / REL