State Department spokesman says concessions need to keep the peace

Ned Prajs
Tanjug / Kevin Lamarque/Pool via AP

State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Belgrade and Pristina need to make concessions to ensure peace in the Western Balkans.

“Both Prime Minister Kurti and President Vucic will need to make concessions to ensure that we do not jeopardize decades of hard-won peace in an already fragile region,” Price said following failure to resolve the vehicle license plate issue at a meeting mediated by the European Union in Brussels.

“The United States is disappointed that the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia failed to agree with EU High Representative Borrell on a solution to the current crisis in Kosovo. We urge Prime Minister Kurti to work with EU High Representative Borrell and EU Special Representative Lajcak to reach a fair compromise,” a press release quoted Price as saying.

“We join the EU in calling on Kosovo to immediately suspend any planned measures that would escalate tensions, including the imposition of vehicle fines…. Both parties should refrain from taking provocative steps, fulfill their obligations under the EU facilitated Dialogue, and engage constructively to reach a sustainable solution,” the State Department spokesman said.