The US special envoy to the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar answered questions related to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, if Serbia breached the Ohrid Agreement by voting against Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe, as well as other important issues for the region.

Escobar is convinced that there will be a final agreement between the countries by the end of this year. He said that the implementation of the agreement towards normalization should start with the Association of Serb Municipalities.

“We didn’t expect the leaders to agree on the draft statute, but we wanted them to present their visions. And we got them. I hope and expect that by the end of the year, we get there,” said Escobar.

The work on creating the Association has already started, reiterated the US envoy and “we must push forward until we reach a model”.

Escobar expects a meeting between chief negotiators to take place within two weeks, to rediscuss the issue.

“This process is very important and it is also important that both sides, especially Kosovo, take it seriously and move forward towards finalization,” the diplomat said.

He assessed that “little progress” was made during the Brussel meeting and that parties should bring forth a proposal that is accepted by both countries.

Asked by journalists, if Serbia breached the agreement by voting against Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe, Escobar expressed doubts.

“I’m not sure if it’s a breach. That depends on the European Union, as the guarantor of the agreement. The implementation process was not decided at the time of the voting, so I don’t know if Serbia was obliged not to block it,” the US envoy said, adding that he hopes there’s room for the Council of Europe “to examine the conditions and status of the Serbian minority in Kosovo”.