Serbian students have taken the opportunity to "respond" to US Ambassador Kyle Scott showing a map of Serbia missing Kosovo and Metohija (KiM). Scott did this is an elementary school last week in Apatin, a town in northern Serbia, when he showed pupils a map of their country without their southern province, i.e., Kosovo and Metohija, B92 reports.
Independent MP Miladin Sevarlic says US Ambassador Scott gave a lecture at a school in Apatin, showing the children a map of Serbia without Kosovo, B92 reports.
Kosovo is Serbia's southern province where ethnic Albanians 11 years ago unilaterally declared independence, which Serbia considers to be a violation of its Constitution and territorial integrity.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today with US Ambassador Kyle Scott and discussed Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Tanjug news agency reported.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said late on Tuesday he was surprised by US Ambassador Kyle Scott saying that "not only Pristina is to blame". Ambassador Scott said earlier the blame for the current relations between Belgrade and Pristina is also the absence of dialogue on both sides.
"I am surprised by Scott's statement. Hang on, man. They say, don't shift the blame. Say what we are guilty of?" Vucic said while on a Happy TV talk show.
The journalist remarked that some have asked Vucic to seal off passages towards Kosovo and Metohija "airtight."
The US ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott told reporters on Tuesday the situation regarding the European Union-mediated Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on normalisation of relations was extremely complicated, but that there was no benefit from the two sides blaming each other, the Beta news agency reported.
The ambassador said it was necessary for both sides to sit down and normalise the dialogue.
“The US and the EU are steering both sides in that direction,” Scoot said.
US Ambassador in Serbia, Kyle Scott said Washington does not draw ‘red lines’ when it comes to the resolution of the Kosovo issue, B92 reports.
Speaking for Belgrade-based Kurir, Ambassador Scott noted any solution the two sides agree about would be supported, but the solution should be implantable and lasting.
The US wants to see Serbia in EU and in the family of European peoples, Ambassador Kyle Scott said, adding that in this regard, his country would intensify relations with Serbia, Tanjug news agency reported.
He also said by joining the EU, Serbia would get stronger after all it underwent with its neighbors and people would be able to live better.
“You want your citizens to live same as in Europe and to become a part of the European club, but you have to respect their rules,” Ambassador Scott said at the Kopaonik Business Forum.
The US Ambassador in Belgrade Kyle Scott "really hit a nerve" with a large number of citizens of Serbia, as seen in the comments left on websites and social networks. The daily Politika writes this on Friday, adding that, as in most other cases when US Ambassador Kyle Scott crossed the imaginary line of diplomatic propriety toward Serbia, or when his words hurt the feelings of a large number of citizens here, reactions followed this time as well - both from officials and from the public.
Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic has replied to US Ambassador to Serbia Kyle Scott, who believes that, on the issue of the situation in Venezuela, Serbia is on the wrong side of history.
"The Americans are properly on the right side, supporting Kosovo. We were on their side in both world wars, and they chose the ones they fought against in both wars," Dacic told Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti.
US Ambassador to Serbia, Kyle Scott in a meeting with Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the US is continuously urging Pristina authorities to revoke tariffs on goods from Serbia, BETA news agency reports.
He also noted the tariffs represent an obstacle to the dialogue, press statement of the Serbian Government reads. According to the statement, Ambassador Scot said US supports Belgrade’s efforts to normalize relations with Pristina and remain ready to help in reaching a sustainable solution that would enable stability and progress of the entire region.