U.S. official: Serbia must accept Kosovo’s independence

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon says Serbia is expected to accept “Kosovo’s independence”. He added that the U.S. also expected normalization of the Serbia-Kosovo relations. U.S. official: Serbia must accept Kosovo’s independence “Neither we nor the EU expect Serbia to recognize Kosovo in this phase. It will not do it. However, Serbia will have to come to peace with the reality of a democratic, sovereign, independent and multiethnic Kosovo with today’s borders,” he said at the Croatia Summit on Saturday. The Croatia Summit started in Dubrovnik on Friday. The U.S. diplomat added that the U.S. wanted to help in the process but that Belgrade needed to stop supporting illegal security and judicial structures in northern Kosovo. “Belgrade should not block Kosovo’s efforts aimed at decentralization and the partition is not an option for Serbia or for Kosovo,” Gordon pointed out. He assessed that Croatia was a leader in the region and that the U.S. was supporting the EU integration of all the countries in the region. Gordon noted that the Euro-Atlantic integration was possible for all the countries of the Western Balkans. Democratic Party (DS) leader Boris Tadic arrived in Dubrovnik on Saturday morning where he will attend the Croatia Summit. Serbian officials are not taking part in the summit due to participation of Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Philip Gordon Beta

U.S. official: Serbia must accept Kosovo’s independence

“Neither we nor the EU expect Serbia to recognize Kosovo in this phase. It will not do it. However, Serbia will have to come to peace with the reality of a democratic, sovereign, independent and multiethnic Kosovo with today’s borders,” he said at the Croatia Summit on Saturday.

The Croatia Summit started in Dubrovnik on Friday.

The U.S. diplomat added that the U.S. wanted to help in the process but that Belgrade needed to stop supporting illegal security and judicial structures in northern Kosovo.

“Belgrade should not block Kosovo’s efforts aimed at decentralization and the partition is not an option for Serbia or for Kosovo,” Gordon pointed out.

He assessed that Croatia was a leader in the region and that the U.S. was supporting the EU integration of all the countries in the region.

Gordon noted that the Euro-Atlantic integration was possible for all the countries of the Western Balkans.

Democratic Party (DS) leader Boris Tadić arrived in Dubrovnik on Saturday morning where he will attend the Croatia Summit. Serbian officials are not taking part in the summit due to participation of Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.