Palmer: U.S. Wants Comprehensive Solution that Will Serve Entire Region

Mathew Palmer (AP/Darko Vojinovic)

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer has said that his country wants to see a comprehensive solution in the dialog between Belgrade and Pristina which will serve not only both sides but the entire region as well.

The Voice of America's Albanian program reported on Aug. 6 that, in an interview with the Balkan Insider website, Palmer said that a comprehensive solution for normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia would have a major impact on stability in the region and provide a push to all of the countries of the Western Balkans on their road to integrating with Europe.

The U.S. want bilateral recognition, Palmer said, denying rumors that a territorial swap was discussed.

"We are focused on supporting the process that is being led by the EU for reaching a comprehensive agreement leading to the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo and which would ideally essentially be a mutual recognition. I think that the growth of the idea of exchanging territories is taking attention away from the target, which is that both sides sit and discuss these issues and identify a road to normalcy. We support this process," he said.