US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar told the Belgrade Security Forum on Tuesday that many look at the Western Balkans through the prism of the 1990s, while Washington does so through the prism of the 21st century.

Escobar said one of the biggest challenges and disappointments is that local politicians haven’t evolved in their thinking from the 90s, European Western Balkans reports. He said that the desire of the United States is for all six countries to become members of the European Union.

“These are European countries, some of which have made huge progress, and their accession to the EU would not pose a danger to existing members of the Union, but a great opportunity,” Escobar said through video link. According to him, the US administration wants to resolve the currently unresolved issue in the Balkans adding that Western Balkans has enormous potential for continued economic growth.

Escobar stated that the economy of Serbia has increased seven times since 2000 and that the economies of Montenegro and Kosovo have recorded double-digit percentage growth in the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic. “We welcome the economic integration of the countries of the region. People from the Balkans are successful to go anywhere, and we want them to be successful in the Balkans as well,” Escobar concluded.

Source: MIA