Chollet: Fruitful meetings in Pristina

NEWS 12.01.202309:13
NHAC NGUYEN / AFP

US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet met in Pristina on Wednesday with editors-in-chief of a number of Kosovo media and commented on his meetings with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and representatives of political parties, which he said were fruitful.

The Pristina media that attended the meeting quoted Chollet as saying that he sees the Kosovo government’s strong will to “roll up its sleeves” in the dialogue process, which, he said, guarantees Kosovo’s integration into Euro Atlantic structures, Beta reported.

Chollet reiterated that a final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia should be based on “mutual recognition.”

We want to stop the cyclical stagnation, we don’t want to be in a situation of managing a crisis, like what happened during the Christmas period in the north, said Chollet, adding that Kosovo should commit to an agreement with Serbia centered on recognition.

The US diplomat said the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) was an urgent matter but that the US does not support the creation of a Republika Srpska in Kosovo, and noted that, in the process of CSM formation, the Kosovo Constitution and laws should be honored.

US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar, who also visited Pristina, stressed that the Community of Serb Municipalities was an international obligation.

Escobar and Chollet described the meetings they had in Pristina as fruitful, adding they hope an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia would soon be reached.