Escobar: US has two conditions for supporting the Open Balkan initiative

(Patria) - US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southern and Central Europe Gabriel Escobar said that the US has two conditions for supporting the "Open Balkan" initiative - that this initiative be open to all and that appropriate standards and institutions be respected. He announced that he will soon travel to the region with EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčak, which will show "commitment to the functioning of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

"And these are the conditions under which we support it - first, that we meet the Berlin standards set by the European Union. And second, that it be open to all countries and practically not function without all countries. Pipelines cannot be interrupted, highways cannot be interrupted. You cannot have a free trade zone if you have to stop halfway and trucks wait in line for five hours, so the initiative must include all countries, so that the standards are European. After all, to have a free trade zone, you must have institutions that can effectively manage goods and money," Escobar told the Albanian service of Voice of America.

Speaking about the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and the role his country will play in that process, Escobar said that they are starting this year with renewed energy and a new emphasis on the functioning of the dialogue.

"I will soon travel to the region, together with Mr. Lajčak, to signal our support for the dialogue and to show our commitment to the functioning of the dialogue. It is a dialogue led by the EU, but we strongly support it. And I hope we will make progress," he said.

He said that in order to advance the dialogue, the US will engage intensively with both countries.

"We will be very engaged in the process, but not only in Serbia and Kosovo, but in the entire region and not only for political but also economic issues. We see many opportunities for economic development in the region, especially in Albania and Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro, so we will continue to work in all directions," said Escobar.