US Ambassador in Belgrade Kyle Scott told TV N1 on Thursday that Belgrade and Pristina must get back to the table because their dialogue has been regressing in the past six months. He noted the situation is not good but added that diplomats have to be optimists and look for solutions.

We must be realistic, the situation is not good, there is no dialogue and there is mistrust on both sides, Scott said.

Scott went on saying that Washington’s stance and goal remain unchanged – a comprehensive agreement to normalize relations between Belgrade and Pristina which means that there must be a dialogue. Both sides must return to the negotiating table to see how we can move forward.

The key to continuing the dialogue lies in removing the barriers and tariffs which are stopping the negotiations. The US feels that the tariffs are not helping and should be removed. Measures must be taken to move the process forward and in the past six months things have been moving backwards, he said.

Scott also commented on the Serbian Parliament session on Kosovo and Metohija saying it was important and what President Aleksandar Vucic said about getting to grips with the bitter truth about Kosovo was interesting.

He voiced support for the idea of getting the sides together to think about moving forward. We will continue to support a comprehensive agreement on normalization. The ambassador recalled that Washington was not invited to the Western Balkans summit in Berlin or to the coming meeting in Paris.

According to Scott, the solution for Kosovo must come from the region not from Brussels or Washington but from Pristina and Belgrade and the solution must be a lasting one and contribute to the Serbian-Albanian reconciliation as well as help stabilize the region.