BRUSSELS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on Kosovo and Serbia to normalize their relations during her visit to Pristina on Wednesday, after expressing concerns on current tensions at their border.
"I am very concerned about the current crisis. It is important to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table to find a sustainable solution," she said at a joint press conference with Albin Kurti, prime minister of Kosovo.
Von der Leyen urged both sides to use their dialogue facilitated by the European Union (EU) to discuss issues openly and to seek solutions.
This dialogue "is the only platform to resolve the current situation. Cooperation is the only way forward," von der Leyen tweeted.
Tensions erupted last week along the border between Serbia and Kosovo over which license plates Serbian vehicles entering Kosovo should use. The dispute escalated into violence, prompting the deployment of army and police forces there.
Since Monday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has also intensified its patrols in the region. Representatives of the two sides met on the same day in Brussels to try and defuse the situation.
"I am ready to accept a new solution, which entails necessary inclusiveness, comprehensiveness and reciprocity," Kurti said.
Von der Leyen is currently on a trip to the Western Balkan region. Next week, she will attend the EU-Western Balkans summit in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia.
On Wednesday afternoon, she met with Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. She is scheduled to hold talks with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Thursday.
Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia rejects it and considers Kosovo its own province.
