Message of the US State Department official Philip Reeker that the US is ready to get involved in the process of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue diplomatic sources unofficially assessed as “America’s direct reaction” to the public initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to return the two sides to the negotiation table as soon as possible, including Macron’s effort to organize a new meeting on Kosovo in Paris in September, Danas daily reports.
Daily’s interlocutors further claim it is not to be expected that US President Donald Trump administration “would inhibit” the efforts of the Europeans lead by President Macron, EU and German Chancellor Angela Merkel “to revive the negotiations” and reach “a sustainable and implementable solution for Kosovo.”
“Stance of the US regarding the Kosovo issue in essence does not differ from that of France – both believe this decades long problem should finally be resolved, and that both Serbia and Kosovo should recognize each other. That is why Washington will not be a millstone around Paris neck in the next phase of the Brussels agreement, although Macron and Trump view differently important world issues, such as relations with Iran, world trade and climate changes,” diplomatic sources further explained.
Commenting on the reports of Belgrade-based daily Blic that France would appoint a special envoy in the continuation of resolving the Kosovo issue, sources told Danas it could be possible that the French envoy would run “shuttle diplomacy” on Belgrade-Pristina line, and Americans would “simultaneously get involved” in such a process. In this context, Reeker and other State Department official Matthew Palmer “actively encouraged” both Belgrade and Pristina to return to the negotiations over the previous couple of months.
