Senior U.S. official visiting Kosovo to normalize ties with Serbia after Kosovo banned Serbian dinar. Tensions high as ban angers Kosovo Serbs and Serbia. Washington and Brussels working to get dialogue back on track. NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo.
Key Points
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar visiting Kosovo to address ban on Serbian dinar
Ban on dinar led to tensions and concerns about regional stability
Efforts to resume dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia under EU facilitation
NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended war between Serbian forces and Albanian separatists in Kosovo
Pros
Efforts to normalize ties between Kosovo and Serbia
Focus on resolving tensions and preventing provocations
Cons
Ban on Serbian dinar angered Kosovo Serbs and Serbia
Struggles to get Pristina-Belgrade dialogue back on track