DASH reacts to the Kurti-Vucic meeting in Brussels: Disappointed with the lack of progress in the dialogue

The US Department of State expressed disappointment that no progress was made in the new round of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia for the normalization of relations.

"We expect both countries to take seriously their obligations under the Agreement on Normalization of Relations, which they reached earlier this year. Time is running out. We want to see progress on existing and previous obligations undertaken in dialogue and with the Ohrid Agreement, including the establishment of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities," a spokesperson for the US State Department told REL.

"We will consult internally and with our European partners on next steps," he said.

According to him, the dialogue facilitated by the EU is the only way forward for Kosovo and Serbia.

The prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met on Thursday in Brussels with the mediation of the head of the EU's foreign policy, Josep Borrell, and the EU envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak.

The meeting, which had on the agenda the implementation of the Basic Agreement for the normalization of relations, did not produce any results, Borrell said.

According to him, it was Kurti who did not accept the EU's proposal for the simultaneous implementation of the obligations arising from this agreement, while Vucic accepted it.

Borrell said that Kurti insisted on formalizing, first, the de facto recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, while Vucic requested the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority in Kosovo.

Kurti "has not been willing to move forward with the initiation of a credible process to establish the Association," Borrell said.

Kurti and Vucic, in separate media conferences, accused each other of the lack of results from the meeting.

Kurti said that "Serbia's conditionality" for the formation of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority "has turned into the position of EU emissaries".

According to Vucic, Kurt simply "avoided the formation of the Association... this is the essence of everything"./ REL