The Ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said that the USA and its Western partners do not agree with the Declaration adopted on June 8 by Serbia and the Serbian entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska.

In the declaration approved in Belgrade at a meeting between the two governments, Kosovo is mentioned as “an inalienable part of Serbia”.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to read all the reports related to the ‘All-Serbian Assembly’, but I understand that language is used there that says Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia. I understand that this is their position, but this is not the position of any of us, it is not the position of the US, our QUINT partners or anyone else,” said Hovenier.

He emphasized that the USA has recognized Kosovo as an independent state and that the USA will stand behind this position “with pride”.

During the so-called All-Serbian Assembly on June 8, it was emphasized that it supports the efforts of the Republic of Serbia to preserve territorial integrity and sovereignty, guaranteed by international law, Resolution 1244 and other resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

The statement states, among other things, that Serbs in Kosovo, as well as all other citizens who are loyal to Serbia, must protect monasteries, churches, private properties, cemeteries and other endangered objects.

The signatories of the Declaration also condemned what they considered to be the intolerable living conditions of the Serbs in Kosovo, created by the Pristina authorities, but without mentioning any concrete facts.

Hovenier made his comments during the international conference “Rugova and the West”, which is being held on June 10 in Pristina, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Kosovo.