by John Chalmers and Aleksandar Vasovic
BRUSSELS/BELGRADE (Reuters) – The European Union warned on Monday of “escalation and violence” after Kosovo and Serbia failed to resolve their dispute over license plates used by the Serbian minority in northern kosovar republic.
“After many hours of discussion (…), the two parties did not reach a solution today,” Josep Borrell, the EU’s top foreign policy official, said in a statement.
“I believe there is significant responsibility on the side of the two leaders for the failure of the talks today and for any escalation and violence that may occur on the ground in the days to come,” he said. -he adds.
Pristina has ordered Serbian minority drivers to swap their old number plates from before 1999, when Kosovo was part of Serbia, for Kosovo state plates, a move that has been met with opposition. the resistance of the Serbian minority in the north, supported by Belgrade.
According to Josep Borrell, the proposal presented by the EU to avoid a further escalation of tensions was accepted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic but not by Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
Borrel said he would inform EU member states of “the two countries’ lack of respect for their international legal obligations” and warned that, given their commitment to join the union, they should act accordingly.
He called on Kosovo to immediately suspend any new measures related to vehicle registration in the north of the country, and on Serbia to suspend the issuance of new license plates, in order to give both sides “space and time” to find a solution.
(With contributions from Bart Meijer, written by John Chalmers; French version Diana Mandiá, edited by Sophie Louet)
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