Borrell welcomes declaration on missing persons

Borrell said that the EU welcomes the two parties’ endorsement of the declaration, adding that it “expects that the Parties make tangible progress on bringing to a closure the outstanding cases of Missing Persons and on fulfilling their respective obligations towards the families”. “As a sign of their joint resolve to ensure full implementation of their respective commitments in the field of Missing Persons, they have endorsed the Declaration on Missing Persons,” he said.

The EU High Representative said that both Belgrade and Pristina recognize the missing persons issue as humanitarian as well as the urgent need for joint efforts.

“Resolving the issue of Missing Persons is not only a humanitarian obligation. It is also a crucial enabler for reconciliation and trust between people. It has become urgent to ensure that the process of identifying burial sites is concluded as soon as possible. Memories are fading and individuals, places and events are more difficult to investigate,” Borrell’s statement said.