9 minutes agoEscobar: There is no way to avoid association, no agreement between Kurt and Serbia
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)Our policy has always been clear. We support the facilitated dialogue by the European Union for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia. For us, mutual recognition should be a final, important goal. We believe that all countries in the region should know each other, should reduce trade barriers, should [...]
For the Franco-German plan for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia, Escobar said that “is a good plan” and the excellent “leader”, which the US expects Kosovo and Serbia to accept.
However, at the same time there are some existing areas within the Brussels Agreement that remain unfulfilled. One of them is the Association of Serb-run municipalities”, Escobar said.
Escobar commenting on US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's statement, that he appreciates Serbia's “construction approach” in dialogue, said Serbia “is ready to consider each point of that deal”.
“They are willing to start implementing and negotiations on annexes, annexes attached immediately. This is really constructive”, Gabriel Escobar said.
Escobar said the US since Kosovo's declaration of independence has been extremely clear in its position on the new state.
“S first, our vision has always been consistent since Kosovo's independence that Kosovo will be a sovereign, independent state, and a multiethnic democracy within its limits”, Escobar said, until he added that “this remains our vision” today.
“Now, within this construction, there is an agreement that is signed in the Brussels Agreement for the formation of the Serb-run municipality Association. It's an existing legal obligation. So whatever future agreement they're going to include, and they include it, the Franco-German plan includes it”.
Escobar said that on each road ahead of the EU-enhanced dialogue, “will have the Association of Serb-based municipalities”.
So I say it will be implemented at some point. Whether the Kosovo government accepts this legal obligation, it is no agreement between Kurti and Serbia. It's an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. It will be the basis of the normalisation agreement. There's no way you can avoid it”.
Escobar said the American position is that the Association will be in line with the Constitution of Kosovo and that it will not affect the functionality of the state, nor of any form like the “Republika Srpska” in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
