Escobar: Signing or Not Signing Belgrade-Pristina Deals Does Not Affect Their Implementation

Gabriel Escobar (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/EV)

U.S. special envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar said that the agreements reached by Belgrade and Pristina were legally binding for both sides and that signing or not signing them did not affect their obligation to carry them out.

At the latest meeting with European leaders in Brussels, Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti said he was ready to accept and sign an outline statute for establishing the Community of Serb Municipalities, while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic made it clear that he would not accept anything that implied the de facto recognition of Kosovo.

Asked about the way forward from there, Escobar told the Voice of America that the statements did not reflect reality, because the agreements were legally binding and both leaders had accepted that. He also said that both leaders had assumed obligations before the European Union and the U.S. and that the sides had concrete obligations to undertake on the path of normalization, the Association for Kosovo and for Serbia, recognizing Kosovo customs documents, vehicle license plates, ID cards etc.

The U.S. official said his country fully supported the dialogue and and that what remained was only when and how both sides would implement all of their obligations.