The European Union’s Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Peter Sorensen, today confirmed that he held a trilateral meeting in Brussels with Kosovo’s Chief Negotiator, Besnik Bislimi, and Serbia’s counterpart, Petar Petković. Sorensen stated that they discussed the normalization of relations and preparations for a high-level meeting.
“I held a long meeting with the Chief Negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels. We discussed advancing the normalization of their relations as part of preparations for a high-level meeting in the Dialogue, unfulfilled obligations, and current issues. We agreed that discussions will continue soon,” Sorensen wrote.
Bislimi had also commented on the meeting earlier, indicating that Sorensen might visit Kosovo and Serbia. He mentioned that Sorensen would send two close team members next week to gather additional information.
Bislimi confirmed that the meeting addressed the implementation of the Basic Agreement. “The idea was to have three different topics today. In the first part, we agreed on the principles of how trilateral meetings should be conducted now under Mr. Sorensen, and I think we reached a general agreement there,” Bislimi stated. “In the second part, which was the central part of today’s meeting, we discussed moving forward with the implementation of the Basic Agreement, where the parties presented our ideas on how we believe we can ensure the Basic Agreement is implemented.”
Bislimi added that they were given time to submit written proposals at the next meeting on “how to ensure that the sequencing version we concluded with Mr. Lajčák becomes acceptable to the parties and we move forward.”
Finally, Bislimi revealed Sorensen’s intention to hold another meeting in July, before the EEAS (European External Action Service) goes on summer recess.
