“The United States will continue to support efforts to secure a lasting peace through productive dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and ultimately a comprehensive normalisation agreement which we believe should be centred on mutual recognition,” US President Joe Biden said in a letter of congratulation to Kosovo’s new president, Vjosa Osmani.
“Normalisation of relations with Serbia is essential for Kosovo to realize its potential and fully integrate into Euro-Atlantic institutions,” Biden said, Kosovo news portal Gazeta Express reported.
The US president said he was looking forward to working with Osmani “on shared priorities for Kosovo, including strengthening the rule of law; fighting corruption; protecting the rights of ethnic and religious minorities; rebuilding from the COVID-19 pandemic; fostering economic development; and security a sustainable energy future.”
Biden confirmed that Osmani had written to him on 19 March about Kosovo’s need for COVID-19 vaccines. He said his “administration has made a priority of working with bilateral and multilateral partners to mobilise a response to the pandemic” and that the US “has provided an initial $4 billion contribution … to support the COVAX programme to supply safe and effective vaccines for countries in need.”
Biden already wrote to Osmani in February, on the 13th anniversary of Kosovo’s declaration of independence, and to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to congratulate him on Statehood Day. In both letters, he called for reaching a comprehensive agreement which should result in mutual recognition. (Željko Trkanjec | EURACTIV.hr)
PRISTINA – Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is set to visit Brussels next week, when he will meet European Union representatives, a Government spokesperson confirmed to Gazeta Express. The government’s spokesperson, Perparim Kryeziu, said that Kurti in Brussels will have bilateral meetings with the EU officials and will not meet Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić. “Prime Minister Kurti will pay an official visit to Brussels next week when he will meet representatives of the European Union institutions. No meeting has been scheduled between Prime Minister Kurti and President Vučići”, Kryeziu told Gazeta Express. Yesterday, Pristina – based media reported that Vučić and Kurti would go to Brussels next week for talks with EU officials. Those media reported that Kurti and Vučić would also pay official visits to Paris in the next few weeks at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.