No agreement reached as talks continue between Serbia, Kosovo

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell gives a statement after Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue at the EU headquarters EEAS building in Brussels on Aug 18, 2022. (JOHN THYS / AFP)

BRUSSELS – A high-level meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's head of government Albin Kurti in Brussels on Thursday failed to result in a compromise over tensions in northern Kosovo.

Tensions are now rising between Serbia and Kosovo, with ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo blocking roads and erecting barricades on July 31 to protest Kosovo's decision to oblige them to use vehicle license plates issued in Pristina

"There is no compromise today, but the talks will continue," said European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after the meeting, which he convened.

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Borrell emphasized that there was still time to resolve the issues of license plates and entry and exit documents, which raised the latest tensions.

Despite the "well-known differences" between Kosovo and Serbia, the two leaders "understood that there was no alternative to the dialogue in order to solve this problem," he said.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia rejects it and considers Kosovo its own province.

Tensions are now rising between Serbia and Kosovo, with ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo blocking roads and erecting barricades on July 31 to protest Kosovo's decision to oblige them to use vehicle license plates issued in Pristina. Kosovo later agreed to continue to recognize Serbian-issued license plates and documents until the end of August.