The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, has stated that mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is the desired goal at the end of the dialogue process.
However, Hovenier said that mutual recognition is not expected to happen now, adding that neither Kosovo nor Serbia will integrate into European institutions without mutual recognition.
“Yes, this is absolutely our desired goal—that the outcome of this process, once it is completed, is mutual recognition, and we believe this is the only possible outcome. This has been the stance of the Biden administration for a long time.”
“We talk about mutual recognition happening eventually because we do not think it will happen now. We wish for it to happen and it needs to happen, and we believe that neither country will fully integrate into all European and Euro-Atlantic institutions without mutual recognition,” said Hovenier in an interview with RTK.
The American ambassador said that for now, they are working on the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Annex, which according to him, are a temporary step that will reposition the relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
“For now, what we are working on and what we talked about last year during the Brussels agreement and the implementation annex of Ohrid is a temporary step, a way forward and a commitment, a set of engagements and obligations that will reposition the relations between Kosovo and Serbia, so they do not worry about security threats from each other, can stop worrying about things like license plates and ID cards, and coexist peacefully,” said Hovenier.
Hovenier stated that there should be no doubt that the American long-term perspective is clear and has not changed.
