Vucic, Thaci: Meeting “nothing special," NSC: Big to Trump administration

NEWS 03.03.202012:08
Tanjug

The Presidents of Serbia and Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic and Hashim Thaci said that their meeting in Washington was “customary” and “nothing special” but added that things should move forward in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, while NSC tweeted that Belgrade - Pristina relations had great importance to the President Donald Trump's administration.

Vucic told Serbian media after the meeting that no agreement had been reached on Serbia stopping its campaign to revoke recognition of Kosovo. “I told them that there is no agreement and then I heard the other side say that this is important and I added that I asked the Albanians for just one thing all the time in Brussels: do not apply for membership in international organizations and institutions, do not call for more recognition and membership in Interpol, UNESCO and other organizations for the duration of the talks,” he said and added that he offered to temporarily stop the campaign but that Pristina never wanted an agreement of that kind.  

The president said that the US officials he met with in Washington “do not want to turn little Serbia into any kind of enemy, not even a small one”, adding that they want cooperation with Serbia. “I saw that they are interested in investing in our country, our region,” he said. Vucic said the US view of Serbia was different to what it was a few years ago but that relations between the two countries would include problems because of Belgrade-Pristina relations.  

Kosovo President Thaci told Radio Free Europe that the meeting was also constructive, adding that they discussed “the need for a peaceful solution between Kosovo and Serbia and a possible final agreement” but not any specific issue. “Good will was shown to move things forward in the interest of the two states just like the agreements on air and rail traffic, a highway and issues of mutual interest, more economic than political,” he said.  

Thaci said it was “a meeting of good will with US engagement to finalize the issue of good neighbor relations between Kosovo and Serbia once and for all”. “The dialogue has to be ended as soon as possible with a final agreement which includes reciprocal recognition, no more or less than that with current territorial integrity,” he added. According to Thaci, the process will help Kosovo become a member of NATO, the EU and UN. “We have no tgime to lose… We have an offer from Washington and should move forward,” he said.