Lawton: Kosovo’s integrity remains a U.S. interest; Pristina and Belgrade must avoid provocations

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Daniel Lawton said the United States remains committed to the territorial integrity and interests of Kosovo, while stressing that normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is vital for the Western Balkans.

During his address before the Europe Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Lawton said stability in the Western Balkans remains one of the priorities of American policy in the region.

“The United States seeks a Western Balkans at peace and with prosperity. We are pursuing positive relations with actors in the region to preserve stability, to expand economic cooperation and to counter and fight threats to the United States,” he said.

Lawton said the United States remains committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of Kosovo.

“The U.S. remains committed to Kosovo’s territorial integrity and interests. The U.S. supports Kosovo’s international recognition, including by the four NATO member countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo. Unfortunately, this agenda has been harmed by repeated elections and the formation of institutions, so we call on Kosovar leaders to complete this process in line with the decisions of the Constitutional Court. And KFOR remains there to maintain a safe environment in Kosovo, supported by U.S. contributions,” Lawton said.

Speaking about relations between Kosovo and Serbia, the American official said maintaining peace between the two countries is essential for the stability of the Western Balkans.

He said the considerable progress achieved through the 2020 agreement under President Trump between Kosovo and Serbia has stagnated due to the lack of political will on both sides in the EU-mediated dialogue.

“Normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia is vital for regional stability. The EU-mediated dialogue has stalled. We call on Belgrade and Pristina to avoid provocations and to enter discussions without preconditions,” Lawton said.

He added that the U.S. is working closely with NATO allies in the region, including Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia, within the framework of security cooperation objectives.

In his address, Lawton said American policy in the Western Balkans rests on three pillars: preserving stability, advancing economic interests and cooperation in the fight against criminal organizations and security threats.

According to him, the U.S. aims for a peaceful and prosperous Western Balkans, while also seeking that the countries of the region take more responsibility for solving their own problems.

Source: RTK