Katherine Brucker, the chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), representing the U.S. government in this organization, responded to the OSCE leader in Kosovo, Cornelia Taylor, stating that the U.S. supports a democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo.
In her response, she mentioned the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, asserting that the U.S. supports the normalization of relations that culminates in mutual recognition between the two countries, as reported by Gazeta Express.
“The United States supports Kosovo as a sovereign, multi-ethnic democracy and urges its leaders to promote a society that respects the rights and inclusivity of all who live in Kosovo. The normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia through EU-facilitated dialogue, as agreed upon by both countries, is essential for regional stability and prosperity. Ultimately, the United States believes that normalization must conclude with mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia, as both seek to fulfill their aspirations for EU membership.”
Brucker also acknowledged the mission’s efforts and the team’s work to improve inter-ethnic relations at the local level through dialogue while addressing concerns about financial limitations for the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
“Unfortunately, the OSCE Mission in Kosovo—like all other missions on the ground, the Secretariat, and independent institutions—faces significant operational challenges due to severe financial constraints. The inability of participating states to reach consensus on a unified budget has unnecessarily pressured the capabilities of all missions on the ground to effectively carry out their mandates, affecting everything from personnel and resources to program implementation. We urge all participating states to approve the Unified Budget as soon as possible. I would like to emphasize here that we have a golden opportunity in the next two months to approve the unified budgets for 2024 and 2025, and by doing so, to put the OSCE on a solid foundation.”
She thanked Taylor and her team for their commitment to helping Kosovo implement necessary reforms and contribute to regional stability.
“We remain confident that it is unfortunate that Kosovo is not a participating state in this body and therefore cannot speak for itself before this organization. We look forward to the day when this can happen.”
