Federica Mogherini says she is still convinced that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue could go on despite the current difficulties. EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said this in Brussels on Monday, Beta agency reported.
Mogherini also thinks that the two sides were able to reach a legally binding agreement to normalize their relations, but said it was up to Belgrade and Pristina, not Brussels.
At a press conference following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Mogherini said that Kosovo’s decision to levy new taxes on Serbian and Bosnian imports undermined the dialogue, and appealed to Pristina to revoke it, as the talks should proceed in the spirit of trust and respect.
The EU HR added that the EU continued to support the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, in order to produce a positive outcome a legally binding agreement that would solve all the issues related to the full normalization of relations.
Mogherini explained that neither the EU nor member states owned the dialogue, but that it belonged to Belgrade and Pristina.
“The EU has been clear from the beginning that we would welcome any outcome that resolves all the issues related to normalization in a comprehensive and legally binding way, with respect for the principles of international law and EU rules. And, allow me to underline this, it would mean no ethnic divisions within or between the countries,” Mogherini said, answering a journalist’s question if the EU would accept the idea of border correction.
She added that “regardless of adjustments the two parties might discuss in the future, it will never lead to ethnically pure states.”
The EU high representative added that any solution had to be acceptable for both sides, and that it was up to Belgrade and Pristina to come to an agreement, while Brussels was to make it easier and verify if it corresponded with international law and EU rules.
