After failed Serbo-Kosovar talks in Brussels, EU blames Pristina

Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy, castigates in particular the attitude of Kosovar Albin Kurti (photo) who rejected the compromise proposed by the EU.

© AP/Visar Kryeziu

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The representatives of Serbia and Kosovo failed to reach an agreement in Brussels on Monday on the ongoing dispute over the license plates of the Serbian speakers of Kosovo, to the chagrin of the Europeans and their mission of good offices.

The "Belgrade-Pristina dialogue", an essential dialogue for the normalization of relations which, according to the EU, is the

sine qua non

of their European ambitions.

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There were eight hours of emergency meeting under the aegis of the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, in the presence of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

But the crisis remains intact.

So much so that Josep Borrell has chosen to bring the persistent disagreements between Belgrade and Pristina to the public square, because according to him, the crisis is only getting worse, reports our correspondent in Brussels,

Pierre Bénazet

.

Pristina wants some 10,000 Kosovo Serbs whose vehicles carry Serbian-issued plates to replace them with Republic of Kosovo plates, saying it is ready to impose fines on offending vehicles as of Tuesday.

The Serbian-speaking police officers have resigned en bloc and the EU fears further violence in a situation now of “

security vacuum

”.

Josep Borrell denounces in particular the attitude of Kosovo: “

After many hours of discussion, the two parties have not reached a solution.

For the sake of transparency, it must be said that we made a proposal (...) which President Vucic accepted, unlike, unfortunately, Prime Minister Kurti

”, declared the head of EU diplomacy.

Find a lasting solution to the problem of license plates

Josep Borrell solemnly calls on Kosovo to suspend the process of re-registration of vehicles of Serbo-speakers while fines are supposed to be issued from this Tuesday for the recalcitrant.

"

I now expect Kosovo to immediately suspend license plate procedures in the north (of the country), and I call on Serbia to stop issuing license plates to towns located in Kosovo

."

“

This will provide room for maneuver and time to find a lasting solution to the problem of license plates, in the context of the normalization of bilateral relations, which remains our essential objective

,” insisted the Spanish official.

The head of European diplomacy warned that the responsibility for possible violence rests entirely on the shoulders of the two leaders whom he accuses of not respecting their international legal obligations.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his "

disappointment

", calling for "

responsibility and pragmatic solutions

".

“

Escalation must be avoided

,” he also tweeted, adding that the NATO force in Kosovo, Kfor, “

remained vigilant

”.

►

To read also: Serbia-Kosovo: the free movement agreement only temporarily eases tensions

(

And with

AFP)

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  • Serbia

  • Kosovo

  • European Union

  • Diplomacy

  • Joseph Borrell

  • Aleksandar Vucic