US Envoy: Western Balkans face three challenges

NEWS 19.09.201817:49
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The US ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott said on Wednesday that the Western Balkans faced three main challenges: the name issue between Macedonia and Greece, normalisation between Belgrade and Pristina and creation of a functional state in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the FoNet news agency reported.

Addressing the gathering “Western Balkans Security Challenges and Serbia” Scott added that Belgrade’s essential role was to be a backbone of regional stability and promised the US would help in that.

He said that his main message from the gathering organised by the Centre for Foreign Policy in Belgrade was that the divisions were not irreconcilable and that the region was not destined to fight forever.

“No people, no country or continent are forcibly made to stay the same forever. Peoples and states decide on their future and look for prosperity,” the ambassador said.

He added that the leaders of Macedonia and Greece showed courage in making the deal on the new name and that brought Macedonia a new era of progress in the European integration and NATO membership.

“The progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be slower, but we look at the forthcoming elections as a possibility for a new swing,” Scott said.

He added that Belgrade and Pristina were talking about an overall normalisation of relations.

“I believe that both Belgrade and Pristina should be given room for flexible, sustainable and applicable solutions and that safety for Serbia and Kosovo should be strengthened,” he said, adding that “(Serbia’s President Aleksandar) Vucic and (Kosovo’s President Hashim) Thaci have our full support.”