Reeker: Belgrade-Pristina Dialog Remains Important to U.S.

Philip T. Reeker (YouTube screenshot)

Philip Reeker, head of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, has said that the dialog between Belgrade and Pristina remained an important priority for the U.S., Radio Free Europe reported.

Reeker was slated to meet with Miroslav Lajcak, the European Union's special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialog on July 24, the Voice of America said.

Reeker gave this information while in a telephone briefing with reporters during a visit to Brussels, where expert teams from Kosovo and Serbia continued talks on July 23. The expert team talks took place on July 23 after the dialog between the two sides resumed after a 20-month hiatus with a meeting last week between Kosovo Premier Avdullah Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Reeker said the U.S. would continue to support and be involved in the EU-mediated dialog process between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels. He highlighted that the EU was doing very important activities in the dialog, geared towards, he said, normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

It is inevitable and important to help them find a direction regarding normalization and make progress in achieving their long-term goals and priorities,
but also encourage stability and security in the region, Reeker said. He added that significant steps had been taken toward establishing air traffic and rail transport, and that the U.S. was encouraging of efforts in this direction.