Ambassador Djuric: U.S. Support for Pristina Conditioned on Forming of Community of Serb Municipalities

Marko Djuric (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV)

Serbian Ambassador to the U.S. Marko Djuric said on Jan. 5 that Washington's support for the authorities in Pristina was directly conditioned on the forming of an Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and an end to a campaign of pressure and violation of human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.

"We have noticed considerable progress, unlike the once explicit, rigid and practically exclusive American point of view regarding Kosovo and Metohija, over the past 10 years, through openness and a readiness to hear and understand our positions. Proof of that are continuous appeals by senior U.S. officials sent to Pristina which insist on full implementation of the Brussels Agreement," Djuric said in an interview with daily Politika.

On the subject of post-election events in Serbia, Djuric said that violence on the streets was seriously damaging the country's reputation.

"It is sad that representatives of certain political movements do not want to accept the decision of the majority people of Serbia, rather they aim to mask their political failure through violence, pressure on the public and trivial attempts, and take over power on the streets. Not only are they disrespecting their citizens in that way, demeaning their choice and degrading the dignity of Serbian institutions, rather they are also seriously damaging Serbia's international reputation," said Djuric, who is also a member of the Serbian Progressive Party leadership. 

He added that the U.S. had sent "a clear message that it is looking forward to" cooperating with a future Serbian government.