US Ambassador to NATO seeks restart of Kosovo- Serbia

That was her response to journalists' questions concerning the current tensions in northern Kosovo.

“Priority number one is the company of immediate measures on both sides to expand the” situation, Smith said.

She said NATO allies are conveying “of great interest and with great concern” developments in Kosovo.

Smith made those statements during an online media conference prior to the NATO member state defence ministers' meeting, to be held in Brussels on June 15th and 16th.

She stressed that the US was the first to condemn violence against NATO soldiers, separately to Italian and Hungarian contingent troops.

“We believe that those who caused violence should be held accountable through legal and transparent procedures”, Smith said.

She said the US encourages Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his Government to ensure that new Albanian mayors in the north, inhabited by Serb majority, carry out their duties from alternative locations.

“We also encouraged them to withdraw police units from municipal buildings”, Smith said, adding that he welcomed the government's decision to lower the readiness and number of military troops near the border with Kosovo.

But the essence of this issue is that at the same time there is also the attitude of the entire alliance dialogue mediated by the EU is the only way forward and this message of NATO has been forwarded to all”, Smith stressed.

Tensions in northern Kosovo have increased since the end of May, with local Serbs opposing young Albanian mayors in the north elected 23 April.

Tensions culminated on May 29th, when Serb protesters clashed with KFOR soldiers. Dozens of people on both sides were injured in the clashes. / REL