US diplomat: Finding solution for Kosovo everyone's job

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - A visiting U.S. diplomat on Wednesday said that finding a solution for Kosovo is a task for everyone, reiterating that the U.S. supports dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The remarks of Wess Mitchell, U.S. assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs, came during his visit to Serbia's capital Belgrade.

At a joint press conference after meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Mitchell urged both the Serb and Kosovar sides to fulfill the obligations of the 2013 Brussels Agreement.

Kosovo -- a former Serbian province -- declared independence in 2008 and is recognized by over 100 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany and Turkey.

"Finding a solution for Kosovo is a task for all of us,” said Mitchell.

“The US supports the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and will continue to do so, but it also calls on both sides to fulfill all the obligations of the Brussels Agreement," reached under European Union auspices.

Serbia began EU membership negotiations in 2014 and is seeking to join the bloc by 2025.

Its neighbor Kosovo is expected to gain candidate country status for EU membership later this year.

- 'Reconciliation, not humiliation'

Vucic said that Serbia has fulfilled all its obligations, but Kosovo failed to fulfill its one and only obligation, namely the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

"The European Union and the United States and everyone else know about it," he added.

Vucic also said that they are ready to accept reconciliation but not solutions that would humiliate Serbs or their state.

Mitchell met with Serbian Prime Minister Anne Brnabic, and a meeting with local opposition leaders is also planned.

Mitchell started his Balkan tour by visiting Kosovo, then Skopje, Macedonia’s capital before arriving in Belgrade.

His next visits will be to Athens and Nicosia, the capital of the Greek Cypriot administration.