China has encouraged the EU to continue making positive efforts to promote dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and hopes it will play a constructive role as a mediator, Chinese Ambassador Li Ming said following a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
In the interview, Ming emphasised that China’s position on Kosovo is consistent and clear.
“The Chinese side encourages the European Union to continue making positive efforts to promote dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and hopes that the EU will play a constructive role as a mediator, remain neutral and impartial, and avoid excessive pressure,” he said.
It was an excellent meeting with Ming, Vučić said. “I handed him the letter that I sent to President Xi regarding the situation in Kosovo [and Metohija] and the rapid development of our bilateral relations,” Vučić posted on Instagram.
Vučić did not reveal the details of the letter but thanked the ambassador for the “strong and unequivocal reaction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China regarding the latest irresponsible moves by Pristina.”
Ming then said that the issue of Kosovo was a point of risk for the Balkans and Europe, so a political solution and maintaining stability in Kosovo was in the interest of all parties, and that a mutually acceptable solution should be found within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, through dialogue and without double standards.
He noted that the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities is an important element of the 2013 Brussels Agreement.
“We hope that the existing agreements will be put into practice, which will help the parties to build mutual trust and initiate dialogue,” the Chinese ambassador added.
He repeated China’s position on the solution to the Kosovo issue and added that he had an excellent meeting with Vučić.
“We discussed issues concerning our common interests and main concerns. China and Serbia are very good friends because we have similar historical experiences. We are fighting for our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. Therefore, in these areas of mutual interest and major concerns, China and Serbia understand and support each other,” Ming said.
(Milena Antonijević | Euractiv.rs)
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