Hill: US Government is clear on the dinar issue, normalization of relations must be achieved

The US Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, stated that the US government had been very clear about its concerns regarding the intention to ban the dinar in Kosovo and what that meant for the people living there, and he emphasized that normalization of relations must be achieved, as reported by Novosti.

Speaking in Washington, where he attended a reception for Serbia's Statehood Day, Hill, when asked by Tanjug to comment on Pristina's decision that the transitional phase of implementing the regulation banning the dinar cannot last longer than three months without withdrawing the regulation, said he did not want to delve into the details of what is currently happening in Kosovo, however, he stressed the need for improvement in relations between Belgrade and Pristina, or "achieving normalization."

"We will continue to make efforts through dialogue to normalize relations, and as for the rest, we will see," Hill said.

When asked whether dialogue is in the dark after Pristina's latest moves, Hill said he did not want to characterize the dialogue and left that to the EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak. However, he believes that many problems, including the dinar, must be resolved through dialogue.

Hill added that he believed Serbia should be in the EU and that the US wanted to help it on that path.

"It is already a long journey for you, and it will be until you become a member. We share your aspirations and want to help," Hill emphasized.

He wished Serbia success, adding that Marko Djuric, whom the President of Serbia announced would return to Serbia to serve in a very important position, was an outstanding ambassador in Washington.

"I think Ambassador Djuric has made and set a positive course for Serbia-US relations, and I think the Serbian people owe him a great deal of gratitude for what he has achieved here," Hill said.