Press release

Foreign Secretary welcomes Kosovo and Serbia implementation plan

William Hague today welcomed further progress on normalisation of Serbia and Kosovo relations and urged swift implementation of agreements.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Following the agreement reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo on 19 April 2013 on normalisation of their relations, the two sides have now agreed a plan setting out how this will be implemented.

The Foreign Secretary has welcomed the plan and urges swift implementation of agreements.

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, today said:

I welcome the plan that Serbia and Kosovo have agreed this week to implement agreements reached through the EU-facilitated Dialogue.

I congratulate Prime Minister Dacic, Prime Minister Thaci and others for taking a further step on the path to improving the relationship between Serbia and Kosovo. I also thank Baroness Ashton for the role that she has played.

I urge both sides to now move swiftly to actual implementation. Only real improvements on the ground will guarantee continued progress towards future European Union membership, and security and stability for the people of both Serbia and Kosovo. I look forward to discussing this with the Serbian leadership when I visit Belgrade next week

Further information

Read the Foreign Secretary’s 19 April statement welcoming the agreement on normalisation of relations reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

The agreed implementation plan sets out how and to what timescales the 19 April agreement will be implemented. Serbia securing a date for opening accession negotiations at the June European Council depends on concrete progress on actual implementation of these agreements.

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Published 26 May 2013