Serbia and Kosovo close to an agreement to normalize relations, reports Bloomberg.

The United States and the European Union have been pressing both sides to end the conflict, which has been ongoing since the 1998-1999 war and threatens stability in the region..

After EU-sponsored talks in Brussels on Monday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti did not announce an agreement. At the same time, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said they would hold further talks to work out steps to implement the bloc's proposal to bridge the divide.. According to him, further negotiations on the actual proposal are not needed..

“Progress has been made today. At the same time, more work needs to be done to ensure that what was agreed by the parties today is implemented,” Borrell said..

Although the details of the plan have not been made public, local media have reported that it aims to gradually develop a relationship based on respect for territorial integrity, the sanctity of borders, and a certain degree of autonomy for ethnic Serbs living in Kosovo..

This should be a sea change in relations as Serbia does not now recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.

According to Borel, both sides agreed to refrain from any action aimed at restoring tensions on the ground..

Aleksandar Vucic said that the negotiations will take place in mid-March and will be lengthy. Differences over a proposal to grant autonomy to Serbs still living in Kosovo remain, he said..

Belgrade considers Kosovo, a predominantly Muslim state with approximately 1.8 million inhabitants, part of its territory and the religious and cultural center of the Serbian nation.

While the new plan reportedly does not include Serbian recognition of Kosovo, it is seen as a step towards normalizing relations.

This may also lead to the inclusion of Kosovo in international organizations.. Serbia, along with its allies China and Russia, has been trying to prevent this for decades..

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The EU and the US, faced with the Russian challenge to the security of the world and focused on helping Ukraine, are tired of the many years of unresolved Serbian-Kosovo problem. And they switched to a tough format with harsh conditions, handing over to the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo another version of the plan for regulating relations between the countries. Will this be the end of the conflict between Belgrade and Pristina? Read more in the article by Vladimir Tsybulnik "