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Normalization of Serbia-Kosovo relations vital for their EU accession – Borrell

The head of the European Union's foreign policy service said that everything that the parties agreed on: the agreement and every action within the framework of the procedure for its implementation will become part of their path to the European Union

BRUSSELS, March 19. /TASS/. The implementation of Serbia and Kosovo’s commitments on normalizing relations will be a precondition for their integration into the European Union, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell told reporters early on Sunday.

"What the parties have accepted: the agreement [reached in Brussels on February 27] and its implementation through the annex will become an integral part of their respective European Union paths," the EU foreign policy chief said after the 12-hour EU-mediated talks with the prime minister of the unrecognized Kosovo republic, Albin Kurti, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

He said he would immediately begin work to include all those provisions into official documents within the framework of Kosovo and Serbia’s admission process.

Borrell added that the sides decided not to sign the deal, although they agreed to start implementing it. Therefore, the EU official continued, "the annex and the agreement are considered adopted through my statement that will be published [soon]," but not through a joint statement signed by all parties, as was initially planned.

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