Leaders of Netherlands and Luxembourg call on Serbia and Kosovo to reduce tensions

Leaders of Netherlands and Luxembourg call on Serbia and Kosovo to reduce tensions

The prime ministers of the Netherlands and Luxembourg urged Serbia and Kosovo on Monday to scale back tensions “as soon as possible” and to proceed their dialogue mediated by Brussels.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his Luxembourg counterpart Xavier Bettel held a press convention with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as a part of their go to to Belgrade.

Rutte mentioned his nation is anxious concerning the rising tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.

“Both sides should take steps to reduce tensions and continue their dialogue under the umbrella of the European Union,” he mentioned.

Bettel, for his half, mentioned: “We have discussed the tensions…We encouraged the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.”

The two leaders will subsequent go to Pristina and maintain talks with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

Following April elections in northern Kosovo, the EU mentioned the low turnout amongst native Serbs didn’t present municipalities with long-term political options.

Ethnic Serbs within the area have been protesting the election of Albanian mayors since late May.

On May 30, NATO determined to deploy 700 extra troops to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), the alliance-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, after 30 of its troopers had been injured amid unrest. A contingent of Turkish troops was among the many reinforcements.

The EU requires Kosovo and Serbia to achieve a ultimate settlement and resolve their disputes to maneuver ahead with their integration into the bloc.

Most UN member states, together with the U.S., the UK, France, Germany and Türkiye. acknowledged Kosovo as a rustic separate from its neighbor when Pristina declared its independence 15 years in the past, however Belgrade continues to treat it as its territory.

Source: www.anews.com.tr