Escobar: Lowering Tension In North Kosovo Is Main Priority

Gabriel Escobar (Photo: U.S. Embassy in Serbia)

The U.S. envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, stated in Brussels on Sept. 29, after the meeting with the EU's special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, and separate meetings with the heads of the two sides' negotiating delegations, Petar Petkovic and Besnik Beslimi, that lowering the tension in north Kosovo was the main priority.

"Tension is very high at the moment," Escobar stated, as conveyed by Radio Free Europe (RFE). He said that the solution to the problem with license plates had to be found, adding that it was important for the sides to return to dialogue, so that the talks would continue with the aim of resolving all the open issues.

Escobar said he came to Brussels in order to support the EU's efforts in promptly finding a solution that would reduce the current tension in Kosovo.

In Brussels, the chief negotiators of Serbia and Kosovo are talking about steps towards lowering the tension in north Kosovo. Before the meeting, European officials said they expected the sides to come with a clear mandate for talking about a solution, and not "for using the meeting to just repeat their stands," RFE reported.