Radio Kontakt Plus (RKP): Mr. Kosnett, in the first place, hello and welcome.

Ambassador Kosnett (AMB): Thank you Jelena. It is a great pleasure to be here in Mitrovica North.

RKP: Since we are talking about Mitrovica North, of course, political issues are always in the first place. When do you expect the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina to continue?

AMB: I can’t make a prediction with regard to when the next formal session might be. I do want to say that my government is working intensively with the governments of Kosovo and Serbia in order to find a way forward, to move the process forward as quickly as possible. We think that both governments are sincere in their desire to see the Dialogue work. Clearly, it has been difficult to move forward but we are not losing hope, we just need to find a formula that will enable us to get the process back on the rails.

RKP: Do you expect something like that to happen soon, or do you think they will need more time, like couple of months? Do you expect them to start again with the Dialogue before summer holidays, for example.

AMB: What we have said, my government has said, is we think 2019 is the year that Kosovo and Serbia should conclude a comprehensive agreement, and in order to conclude an agreement in 2019 we need to see everybody get back to the table and see this moving as quickly as possible. I do not want to attach target dates to the process.

RKP: According to your opinion, when will the fees on Serbian and Bosnian goods actually be suspended? Do you expect them to be suspended soon?

AMB: My government continues to believe that suspending the tariff is one important step to get the Dialogue moving again, we said this many times. It is my view that both the governments in Pristina and Belgrade have demonstrated that they have leverage against the other side, that they can be tough. Now we need both sides to show that they can be flexible and creative, and get the process moving again. We continue to strongly urge the government in Pristina to suspend the tariffs, and there are constructive steps that we want both sides to take. What I think is important is to get everybody back to the table and discussing the wide range of issues that separate Kosovo and Serbia.

I am also well aware, having spent the day here in Mitrovica North, that the people who suffer the most are the people on the ground. That political leaders in Pristina and Belgrade will engage in their processes—will have their politics–but it’s important that people know that the United States cares about the safety, and the security, and the prosperity of people of the Serb community in Kosovo, both in the north and in the south, and we think that the people who will benefit the most from a comprehensive agreement are the members of the Serb community here.

Full interview is available at: https://xk.usembassy.gov/kontaktplus/