Kosovo’s new prime minister Albin Kurti has commented the role of US Ambassador Richard Grenell in brokering deals on restoring air and railway link between Kosovo and Serbia at the time the EU-facilitated dialogue has stalled.
“I believe the engagement of the US Ambassador in Berlin, gave a fresh energy to the [dialogue] process,” Kurti said an interview with Radio Free Europe. “The US Ambassador in Berlin, believes that key to an agreement are economic investments in the region. I do not deny that an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia would help the economic development perspective in the region, but as a prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo, as winner of elections focusing on a program on economic recovery, I believe that one should not neglect three important factors,” Kurti said.
He also told RFE that he intends to abolish punitive tariffs on Serbian goods. But Albin Kurti cautioned that he would only lift the 100-percent tariffs imposed two years ago after his government introduces measures of “reciprocity” in trade, politics, and economy. “It is not that we will remove the tariffs without introducing reciprocity, but we will introduce reciprocity and then we will lift the tariffs,” Kurti told RFE.
“For us, it is unacceptable not to have symmetry in our relations,” Kurti said. “We consider this to be a healthy principle for constructive, bilateral, neighborly relations.” Kurti said he would lead Kosovo’s team for negotiations with Serbia. But for the talks to resume, he said he wants the Kosovar and Serbian teams to first discuss the agenda with European Union representatives. “I believe we don’t have the luxury to fail again in the dialogue,” he said. Kurti said an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia would “help the perspective of economic development” in the region. He also pledged to tackle poverty as well as crime and corruption, which is endemic in the country. /GazetaExpress/
