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Slovenia urges Serbia and Kosovo to hold normalization talks. Photos/Illustrations
PRISTINA – Minister of Foreign Affairs Slovenia Tanja Fajon, urged Serbia and Kosovo to begin normalization negotiations as soon as possible. The statement was made at a joint press conference with Kosovo Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz during a visit to the capital Pristina.
“Kosovo should make active efforts to normalize relations. Kosovo and Serbia should discuss EU (European Union) proposals for full normalization of relations and start negotiations so that tensions in the north of Kosovo do not escalate,” Fajon said as quoted by Anadolu Agency, Tuesday (17/1/2017) 2023).
He added that Slovenia should cooperate with Kosovo in many areas such as energy resources, water and waste management.
Gervalla-Schwarz himself said that Slovenia is one of the main supporters of the Balkan countries’ entry into the EU.
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“Our territory is at a dangerous stage. We have to face this new reality, because if we don’t react, our situation could become more serious,” he added.
Earlier, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in October that Germany and France had offered to speed up the process of Serbia’s membership in the EU if it recognized Kosovo’s independence.
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states including the US, UK, France, Germany and Turkey recognizing it as an autonomous state separate from its neighbours. But Belgrade continues to regard it as its territory.
Brussels has facilitated the Serbian-Kosovo dialogue, which is designed to defuse tensions and resolve issues, one of the conditions for full EU membership.
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