Serbian president to USA: we are ready for compromise on Kosovo

When it is about Kosovo and Metohija, Belgrade can agree to a compromise, but not to humiliation, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said after a meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell in Belgrade on March 14. According to Vucic, although Serbia and the USA have different views in the Kosovo and Metohija issue, Mitchell “listened to what Serbia wanted to say and, maybe, he understood this.”

Aleksandar Vucic stressed that the situation around Kosovo is the most serious barrier on Serbia’s way to the EU, so the country is ready to discuss various compromises. “No matter how small and insignificant the country is for the great powers, it can give its consent for a compromise decision, but it cannot put up with humiliation of its own people and destroying their own state,” Vucic is quoted as saying by RTS television (Serbia).

The Serbian president reminded that the country has fulfilled the obligations it took when signing the Brussels agreements. As Vucic believes, Pristina is not going to fulfill its part of the Serbian municipalities community, so the Serbian president shared his view on it with the American diplomat.

“Honestly, I am almost sure that the case will fail. Had they wanted to fulfil their part of the agreements, they would have done so within five years since they signed them, but they did nothing. I am sure that they are not going to do something else, as they were granted tacit approval of the most part of the global community,” Vucic announced.

The Serbian president thanked the US diplomat for support regarding the necessity to continue the talks between Belgrade and Pristina under the aegis of Brussels. According to Vucic, the US diplomat showed patience and listened to the Serbian side, despite the fact they had differing positions on the Kosovo and Metohija issue. The Serbian president said that Mitchell agreed that it was necessary to preserve peace and continue the talks.

Vucic noted they also discussed subjects dealing with the bilateral cooperation, economic relations and reforms that Serbia holds now.

In turn, Wess Mitchell confirmed that the USA was supporting continuation of the dialog and called both parties to fulfil their obligations. He said they wanted to have one single decision for Kosovo. Mitchel noted he was against decisions that could pose the peace in the region under threat.

According to the American diplomat, one can find a solution for problems that make the Balkans stay in the past. Among such problems he cited changing the name of Macedonia, normalization of the relations between Belgrade and Pristina, establishment of the legal state, freedom of the media, fight against extremism.

Before the visit to Belgrade, Wess Mitchell visited Pristina where he said the US supported the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into a full-fledged army, and that Washington will sound this position during the talks with Belgrade.

Mitchell also added that Russia plays a destructive role in the Balkans, it undermines democratic institutions, although the diplomat failed to provide proofs.

As EADaily reported earlier, in November 2017, Kosovo’s “prime minister” Ramush Kharadinaj said the separatist government and the Serb List party have differences in their positions on creating the Army of Kosovo. According to him, Kosovo has an army, but now the question is how we call it. Now, it is called Kosovo Security Force, but tomorrow it can be called the Army of Kosovo, said the leader of the separatists.