Escobar: There was little progress towards establishing association

He made those comments a day after the political summit between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels, in which the parties discussed the draft Association statute, whose foundation is also required under the Ohrid Agreement, which Escobar deemed legally binding.

The implementation starts with forming the Association of Serb-run municipalities”, Mr. Escobar said, stressing that within two weeks the two countries' top negotiators are expected to meet to discuss this issue and work on a working statute.

“This process is very important and both sides -- namely, Kosovo -- should take it seriously and move forward in a accelerated way”, Escobar said, underlining that the European Union and the United States are focused on the Ohrid Agreement becoming reality and that reality becomes with Association.

He said there was little progress about establishing association in Tuesday's talks, which European Union Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell said were a symbolic “step on the issue.

The Association Law drafted by an management team consisting of four members of the Serb community, who have been relieved today of the Kosovo government's decision-making post, was rejected by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who named it incompatible with the constitution and Kosovo laws but also European values.