Global Courant
The White House announced on Friday that the US deputy national security adviser, Jon Finer, has called on Kosovo and Serbia to take steps to de-escalate the situation in northern Kosovo.
The White House press office said that Mr. Finer had spoken on Thursday with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and on Friday with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, expressing the concern of the United States about the situation in the north.
“He asked the Government of Kosovo to enable the newly elected mayors of municipalities to perform their duties from alternative locations and to withdraw police forces from municipal buildings. He also welcomed Prime Minister Kurti’s willingness to work to create the conditions for new elections,” the White House announced on the conversation with the Kosovo Prime Minister.
Mr. Finer also appealed to the Serbian president to take measures to calm the situation.
“He asked the Government of Serbia to withdraw its armed forces stationed near the border and lower the state of readiness, as well as call on the protesters to maintain calm in the north of Kosovo,” the announcement of the call states. on friday.
In the last two days, both Prime Minister Kurti and the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, have expressed their will for new elections.
The mayor of the municipality of Leposaviq, Lulzim Hetemi, has been in his office since Monday, without ever leaving. Meanwhile, the mayors of the municipalities of Zveçan and Zubin Potok are not in their offices.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti was criticized on Friday by the country’s opposition in the parliament for the actions in the north without coordination with the main allies, primarily the United States, who opposed the forced entry into the northern municipalities, but he insisted that the responsibility lies with Serbia .
Serbia, on the other hand, has accused the Kosovo government of exacerbating the situation.
Tensions followed the April 23 elections in Kosovo, which were boycotted by Serbian parties. The candidates of the Albanian parties were elected mayors of the municipalities and their sending to the municipal offices provoked the reaction of the Serbian side, which jumped into protests. On Monday, protesters clashed with NATO peacekeeping forces. The clashes left 30 soldiers injured and fueled fears of renewed conflict in the troubled region.
The West has exerted pressure to reduce tensions and find solutions, including new local elections in the north of Kosovo, reducing the readiness of Serbian troops on the border and recommitting to the normalization process.
“Mr. Finer reiterated that the United States expects both sides to re-engage in the EU-facilitated dialogue and fully implement the normalization agreement reached in Brussels and Ohrid earlier this year,” the White House’s announcement of the calls said. of the US Deputy National Security Advisor with Prime Minister Kurti and President Vucic.
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