US endorses EU plan to ease Serbia-Kosovo tensions

By LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — A senior U.S. official says Washington has high expectations for a European Union-sponsored plan aimed at easing long-standing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo. Gabriel Escobar, deputy assistant secretary of state, said in an online news conference Tuesday that both countries as well as Europe would stand to benefit from the stability that the plan would usher in. On Monday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti gave their tacit approval to the EU plan to end months of political crisis and help improve bilateral ties. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said “more work is needed” on the plan. Tensions have simmered between Serbia and its former province since Kosovo unilaterally broke away in 2008.