A new "apple of discord" in the US - EU relations lies in the Washington Agreement

A new "apple of discord" in the US - EU relations lies in the Washington Agreement

As Sputnik writes, this is a point within the framework of the agreement on the normalization of economic relations between Belgrade and Pristina, and according to which it was agreed that Serbia would move the embassy to Jerusalem.

According to a document signed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia will become the first European country to open an embassy in Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Senator Ted Cruz were among the first to welcome the decision.

Netanyahu thanked Vučić for the decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and transfer the Serbian embassy to that city. He added that efforts are continuing to persuade other European countries to do the same.

The Israeli Prime Minister thanked US President Donald Trump for his contribution to that achievement, and Senator Cruz wrote on Twitter that he welcomed the announcement of the opening of the Serbian embassy in Jerusalem. "This step deepens the ties and I am looking forward to new similar moves," he said. On the other hand, completely different messages came from the European Union and Palestine.

EU spokesman Peter Stano said that for Brussels, the issue of moving embassies to Jerusalem is a bilateral announcement by Serbia towards Israel, reminding that the EU's position is known and has not changed.

"No EU member has an embassy in Jerusalem, nor a representative office of the European Union. This is in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 478," Stano explained.

He also reminded of the conclusions of the EU Summit from December that the position of Brussels is clear and that Israel and Palestine must find a solution on Jerusalem as the capital.

"Serbia, which is already negotiating EU accession, must progressively harmonize its policy towards third countries with EU decisions. All diplomatic steps that are not in line with that are a cause for concern," Stano stressed.

An even more violent reaction came from Palestine in the form of a warning that the Palestinian Authority would sever diplomatic relations with any country that moved the embassy to Jerusalem.

The Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Saeb Erekat, who was the main peace negotiator with Israel, announced that on Twitter.

"We appeal to all states to respect international law, including UN Security Council resolutions 478 and 2334. Violation of international law is a sign of weakness, not strength," he wrote.-

Despite various signals from the states, the Serbian member of the Presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik, sent a request for holding a session of the Presidency at which the transfer of the Embassy of Bosnia-Herzegovina from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would be discussed.