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Kosovo at the center of a meeting at the State Department, AARC head: US should take a leading role in the dialogue with Serbia! The EU's approach is bureaucratic
2026-03-21 14:44:39 / KOSOVA
The Council on Albanian-American Relations (AARC) has requested that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia be led by the United States of America, assessing that the current process has not produced concrete results.
This request was made during a meeting lasting about an hour that AARC President Martin Vulaj and board member Vehbi Bajrami held with officials from the US Department of State, focusing on the progress of the dialogue.
According to him, the US should take a leading role in the dialogue process, adding that Europe has a bureaucratic approach and that Serbia has not shown interest. He also stressed that mutual recognition should be the objective of the dialogue.
“In response to the Department’s optimism about the resumption of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, the AARC noted that the process has now dragged on for 15 years with limited results. It was underlined that Serbia has shown little real interest in a successful conclusion and that Europe’s bureaucratic approach, which is at its core, has so far failed to deliver meaningful results.
"AARC stressed that any real progress will require a US-led process. While reaffirming that mutual recognition remains official US policy, AARC stressed that it must be clearly defined as the central objective of the dialogue ," Vulaj said, among other things, regarding the meeting.
He also announced that the work of the Special Prosecution Office against Organized Crime and Corruption (SPAK) in Albania and progress in combating organized crime networks linked to South America were also discussed.
“The conversation also highlighted the strong relationship with Albania as a reliable ally of the US, as well as SPAK's significant progress in combating organized crime networks linked to South America. The importance of improving legislation to facilitate foreign investment was also discussed, especially in light of the current US administration's focus on expanding trade,” the response states.
The Albanian-American Relations Council (AARC) recently held a substantive, nearly two-hour meeting with three officials from the U.S. State Department to discuss pressing Albanian issues and broader American interests in the Balkans.
The discussion included Andrew Caruso, who has taken over the Kosovo portfolio following the departure of Anne Morrison, as well as John Robbins and David Maher, who cover Albania and North Macedonia respectively. AARC was represented by President Martin Vulaj and Vehbi Bajrami, former Chief of Service at Voice of America and the newest AARC Board Member.
Among the main topics discussed were shared security concerns, Kosovo's potential path to NATO membership, including the significant challenges that remain. The Department emphasized the urgent need to improve the investment climate, noting concerns raised by US companies regarding local barriers, while highlighting the growing US interest in supporting the development of the energy and mining sectors.
In response to the Department’s optimism about the resumption of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, AARC noted that the process has now dragged on for 15 years with limited results. It was noted that Serbia has shown little real interest in a successful conclusion and that Europe’s bureaucratic approach, which is at its core, has so far failed to yield meaningful results. AARC emphasized that any real progress will require a U.S.-led process. While reaffirming that mutual recognition remains official U.S. policy, AARC emphasized that it must be clearly defined as the central objective of the dialogue.
The conversation also highlighted the strong relationship with Albania as a reliable ally of the US, as well as SPAK's notable progress in combating organized crime networks linked to South America. The importance of improving legislation to facilitate foreign investment was also discussed, especially in light of the current US administration's focus on expanding trade.
Finally, the parties addressed the ongoing movement of law students to North Macedonia, defending the right of Albanian law graduates to take the bar exam in the Albanian language.
AARC remains committed to ensuring that Albanian perspectives are clearly represented in Washington and that U.S. engagement in the region continues to promote long-term stability, accountability, and prosperity.
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