US disappointed at failing Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, says “time running out”


The United States expressed disappointment at the lack of progress in the latest round of European Union (EU)-facilitated talks between Belgrade and Pristina, and warned both parties to take seriously their obligations under the agreement on the path to normalization.

An unnamed US State department spokesperson told Radio Free Europe (RFE) that “time is running out.”

He said the US demands progress regarding all obligations undertaken in the Dialogue, including the establishment of an association of Serb-majority municipalities. „We will be consulting internally and with our European partners on next steps,“ said the spokesperson.

The EU-facilitated Dialogue “is the only path forward for Kosovo and Serbia,” the spokesperson added.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met Thursday in Brussels for the first time following the latest crisis in northern Kosovo, which broke out in late May.

After the meeting, European Union High Representative Josep Borrell said that, despite the effort made, “it was not possible to bridge differences” because Kurti insisted on de facto recognition of Kosovo as the first step in the implementation of the Kosovo-Serbia agreement on normalization of relations, while Vucic accepted the EU proposal.

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