The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has responded to the controversial remarks made by Serbian Minister Snežana Paunović, who stated that if she had been in Slobodan Milošević’s position, she would have begun the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo as early as 1998.
In a statement, a State Department spokesperson emphasized that peace and stability in the Western Balkans remain a top U.S. priority, stressing that the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is essential to achieving that objective.
The spokesperson also encouraged political leaders to use rhetoric that supports dialogue and regional stability rather than undermining them.
“The United States’ priority in the Western Balkans is peace and stability. The normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is an essential part of that. We encourage political leaders to use constructive language to advance this goal in good faith,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
The statement comes amid growing international criticism of Paunović’s comments, which have been widely condemned for appearing to endorse ethnic cleansing and for inflaming tensions at a time when the European Union and the United States continue to support the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
