BRUSSELS – Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. State Department, Matthew Palmer says that the United States has not demanded an agreement for the normalization of relations between the two countries to be reached within a particular date, however, the US would want to see talks resume as soon as possible.
“We support the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and we would want that the dialogue to start as soon as possible”, Palmer told VOA.
He said it would not help the process if an artificial timeline is set.
“I think it’s very important that Serbia and political leaders in Belgrade accept that Kosovo has independent institutions now. Kosovo is not an instrument of the United States. Kosovo is an independent country and it has its own policies,” Palmer stated in an interview.
When it comes to the tariffs imposed by Kosovo, he explains that it is a politically sensitive issue.
“We will support the suspension of tariffs as a means to restore dialogue. We believe that this is an important step forward. We also believe that it’s up to the sides to find a way to overcome challenges in order to resume dialogue”, said Palmer.