French Ambassador to Serbia Frederic Mondoloni said President Emmanuel Macron wants that France plays greater role in Serbia and the region, B92 reports.

According to Mondoloni media allegations on the future appointment of a special French envoy for the Balkans should be viewed in that context.

“President Macron wants that France plays its full role in the region and in Serbia (…). And for two years already he is very much engaged that France gets the place it belongs to it in the region, and in particular in friendly Serbia,” Mondoloni said in a press conference.

According to him, Serbia is France’s main partner in the region, in political, economic and strategic sense, and Macron “was very much encouraged by reception” he had in Belgrade. “He returned to Paris with ideas, and his idea is always to do more than to do less,” Ambassador Mondoloni said, adding it is up to President Macron to announce who would be a special envoy.

Asked if there are concrete information about announced meeting in Paris where delegations of Belgrade and Pristina would meet under France mediation, Mondoloni said there is a possibility to organize such a meeting, if conditions were created.

“We closely cooperate with Germany in this regard, and we are also in contact with Pristina,” he said, according to RTS.

Mondoloni further noted status quo in Kosovo and interrupted Belgrade-Pristina negotiations are not good solution and could lead towards the escalation of tensions on the ground.

“President Macron clearly said we do not have magical solution, and we know this is a sensitive issue to Serbia, but France wants to help in resolving it,” Mondoloni said, adding it is necessary that foremost Belgrade and Pristina reach solution, under EU mediation.

“It is not up to France or anyone else to impose a solution, but it seems obvious to us the solution must be a compromise, and compromise can not be reached by threats and provocations,” he said, after being asked to comment on the recent statement of the Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj that Pristina would start arming itself, if the final solution of the Kosovo issue is not mutual recognition.

Mondoloni thanked Serbia and Serbian people for the manner in which they welcomed President Macron. “He was very pleased with the visit to Serbia, he has listened to what officials had to say, civil society as well. What we need to remember are the messages of respect and friendship”, Ambassador underlined.