News: Serbia and Kosovo discuss Franco-German plan for normalization of mutual relations

The meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, mediated by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy,  Josep Borrell, and the EU Special Representative for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Miroslav Lajčak, took place in Brussels. The two leaders discussed the EU’s proposal, the so-called Franco-German plan, for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. 

The proposal consists of eleven points which include, inter alia, issues of good neighbourly relations between the two parties; the mutual recognition of national documents and symbols; respect for the principles of the UN Charter concerning the sovereign equality of all States, their independence, autonomy and territorial integrity; peaceful settlement of disputes; the obligation for Serbia not to oppose the accession of Kosovo to international bodies; the creation of an EU-led committee to monitor the implementation of the agreement.

Although both leaders have expressed their support, in principle, for the proposal, the most difficult and urgent issue - the creation of the Association of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo-  remains unresolved and the discussion has been postponed to next 18 March, date of the next encounter between the two leaders.

Photo credits: 首相官邸ホームページ, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons