BELGRADE (Serbia), September 7 (SeeNews) – The European Union (EU) is concerned with the commitments made by Serbia and Kosovo to establish embassies to Israel in Jerusalem as they may hamper their EU integration, spokesman Peter Stano said.
"Any diplomatic stances that could call into question the EU's common position on Jerusalem are a matter of serious concern and regret," Stano said in a video file posted on the media portal of the European Commission.
The EU position is that the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both Israel and the Palestinians must be resolved through negotiations and the EU expects Serbia and Kosovo to act in line with their aspirations to join the bloc, Stano said.
"Today's meeting is a good opportunity for them [Serbia and Kosovo] to inform us in how far their commitments towards the U.S. will affect their EU ambitions," Stano noted.
Representatives of Belgrade and Pristina are holding a high-level meeting in Brussels within the dialogue facilitated by the EU on Monday.
On Friday, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo prime minister Avdullah Hoti signed a U.S.-brokered agreement on the normalisation of economic relations, committing to develop motorway and railway connectivity. The agreement also envisages the relocation of Serbia's embassy to Israel to Jerusalem and the mutual recognition by Kosovo and Israel. On Friday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Kosovo will become the first Muslim state to establish an embassy in Jerusalem.
"We were informed ahead of the meeting about the issues related to the economic cooperation. We were not informed about the other issues which were tackled in the end," Stano said.
Earlier on Monday, Vucic and Hoti said they expect the U.S.-brokered deal on economic relations signed last week to contribute to reaching a legally binding agreement on the normalisation of their ties.
"The recently agreed documents in Washington, D.C., building on previous Dialogue-related commitments undertaken by the two parties, could provide a useful contribution to reaching a comprehensive, legally binding agreement on normalisation of relations," Vucic and Hoti said in a joint statement ahead of Monday's meeting in Brussels.
Vucic and Hoti confirmed to EU High Representative Josep Borrell that they attach the highest priority to EU integration and to continuing the work on the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina dialogue which is a key element of their respective EU paths, the EU External Action Service said in a press release.
They also committed to redoubling their efforts to ensure further EU alignment in accordance with their respective obligations.
"Today, we will speak about two additional very important topics: arrangements for non-majority communities and the settlement of mutual financial claims and property. Both topics are very sensitive and very important for the future relationship between Kosovo and Serbia and for the everyday life of their people," Borrel said in a separate statement on Monday.
Vucic and Hoti also committed to redoubling their efforts to ensure further EU alignment in accordance with their respective obligations, Borrell said. "Naturally, their positions differ, but they come back here again to find common ground and to work towards a comprehensive normalisation of their relations - dealing with all outstanding issues."
The U.S. and the European Union have divided tasks regarding the continuation of the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, the U.S. special envoy for the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, Richard Grenell, said in June. According to Grenell, the U.S. government will facilitate the economic matters of the dialogue, whereas the EU will focus on its political aspects.