European Union (EU) High Representative Federica Mogherini said on Wednesday the Western Balkans leaders were united in supporting the Skopje – Athens agreement on a new name for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on normalisation of relations, the Beta news agency reported.
Mogherini held an informal meeting with all six leaders from the Western Balkan countries in Brussels and insisted they should cooperate more than ever on their common goal to join the bloc, to consolidate the peace and security in the region, and to invest in further regional cooperation, for the benefit of all the people in the region, an EU statement said.
It added the Western Balkans leaders committed themselves to further integration with the EU in a spirit of good neighbourly relations and reconciliation.
At the meeting hosted by @FedericaMog in Brussels, the #WesternBalkans leaders expressed the strongest support for the Prespa Agreement and for reaching a legally binding agreement in the context of the #EU-facilitated Pristina Belgrade Dialogue ??https://t.co/ZGv9fAcBAK pic.twitter.com/5dnKH0Yzdf
— Maja Kocijančič (@MajaEUspox) December 19, 2018
They also pledged to avoid provocations, meaning “actions and statements that are not conducive to the overall interests and strategic objectives of the region.”
The meeting was held amid deteriorating relations between Belgrade and Pristina and the suspension of dialogue between the two countries.
Kosovo refused to revoke the decision on the 100 percent import tariffs on goods from Serbia and Bosnia imposed in early November, in spite of repeated demands from the EU and Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) countries to lift them.
Pristina also passed the law to transform its Security Forces into a standing army, in a move slammed by both Belgrade and the international community, with NATO warning the timing was not right for the move.
On the other hand, the US and the UK supported the transformation, arguing Kosovo had that right since it was a sovereign state.
Belgrade has strongly condemned both moves, saying the tariffs violated the CEFTA deals and prevented the free flow of goods, and that Kosovo military was a severe threat to the local Serbs in Kosovo.
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