US ambassador: Forming Kosovo army is positive step

Belgrade is strongly opposed to this announced move by Pristina.

Kosnett told RTK broadcaster in an interview late on Thursday that "Kosovo's leaders have talked about how the Kosovo Armed Forces could participate in peace-keeping operations overseas."

According to him, they also said that "Kosovo has reached the point where instead of only being a consumer of international security that it can contribute to it."

"This is all welcome," Kosnett said, and added that it is "a process that will take many years."

He said that one of the most important things he would focus on during his mandate in Pristina was "supporting the efforts of leaders in Kosovo and in Serbia to find a way forward on the dialogue, to achieve a mutually beneficial solution that will help both governments' prosperity and security in the future."

"When we speak of the dialogue in Washington (sic), we're talking about a comprehensive discussion of all the issues that have separated the two countries for many years. What we need to see is a process that ends with agreement that benefits both countries," Kosnett has been quoted as saying.

He also stated during the interview that he "thinks some people have the misunderstanding that the United States has been pressing for a shift to the border or an exchange of territory."

"As my superiors in Washington have tried to make clear: what we are interested in is an agreement that is negotiated in good faith by the two sides," Kosnett said.