Lahbib: Progress acceptable to all can only be achieved through dialogue

The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Belgium, Hadja Lahbib, stated after a meeting with the head of Serbian diplomacy, Ivica Dacic, that progress could only be made through dialogue in a way that was acceptable to all, adding that de-escalation was necessary, she called on both sides to renew their commitment to the normalization process under the auspices of the EU.

Lahbib announced that she would discuss the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia tomorrow in Pristina and would convey the same message.

"We know that there has been significant progress over the past decade in terms of normalizing relations, but despite that, tensions are high, which we regret. From experience, we know that progress can only be made through dialogue in a way that is acceptable to all", she said.

She added that the response the EU was looking for was de-escalation and a renewed commitment to the normalization process under the auspices of the EU.

"That is the only way to achieve stable agreements, and both sides have a future through integration into the EU as member states. We have a shared responsibility for our European project; our partnership must be important because we cannot face the challenges ahead alone, and we must confirm that we share values, as we are doing now", Lahbib stated.