No breakthrough in latest round of Serbia-Kosovo talks

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti failed to marque advancement towards a normalization of their relations connected Thursday, EU foreign argumentation main Josep Borrell said.

The 2 leaders met successful Brussels nether Borrell's supervision. Both Borrell and Vucic blamed Kurti for the breakdown, saying helium had rejected a compromise program made by the EU.

Both Serbia and Kosovo are seeking eventual EU membership, but joining the bloc volition astir surely beryllium intolerable unless they tin instrumentality steps towards reconciliation.

Why did the talks fail?

The gathering formed portion of the EU's "Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue," which aims to "aims to execute a broad legally-binding normalisation statement betwixt Kosovo and Serbia," according to the EU.

The compromise program suggested by the EU would necessitate Serbia to instrumentality steps towards a de facto designation of Kosovo. Kosovo, connected the different hand, would person to make an relation of Serb-majority municipalities which would assistance them much autonomy.

Borrell said the Serbian president had accepted the proposal, but Kosovo's person "was not acceptable to determination forward" unless his country's de facto designation by Serbia was formalized.

Kurti said the EU was biased towards Serbia and accused Vucic of "sabotaging" the talks.

Decade-long conflicts still simmering

Relations betwixt Serbia and Kosovo person been tense since the warfare successful 1998-99 successful which much than 10,000 radical were killed. The EU has been trying for years to broker an agreement betwixt the 2 neighbors. Kosovo unilterally declared its independency from Serbia successful 2008, but Belgrade has not recognized it.

Most EU members person recognized Kosovo's independency but determination are notable exceptions similar Spain and Greece and Cyprus who person not, usually due to the fact that of akin independency movements oregon splits connected territory they see their own.

In May this year, tensions escalated implicit the results of a disputed section predetermination successful the Serbian-majority bluish portion of Kosovo. Serbs clashed with section information forces and planetary peacekeepers, injuring 93 troops.

A erstwhile mediation effort successful June had besides ended without rendering results.

The latest breakdown comes conscionable a time aft European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for accelerated accession procedures for imaginable caller EU members. Besides the amended known and much caller campaigner Ukraine, Serbia and Kosovo are besides some successful this queue, but volition archetypal request to resoluteness their disputes.

fg/msh (AFP, AP)