[FOXNEWS] President Trump on Friday oversaw the signing of an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo that normalizes economic relations between the two countries — and also includes Kosovo recognizing Israel, and Serbia agreeing to move its embassy to Jerusalem.Another great day for peace with Middle East – Muslim-majority Kosovo and Israel have agreed to normalize ties and establish diplomatic relations. Well-done! More Islamic and Arab nations will follow soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2020
The Belgrade-Pristina deal was signed by their two leaders — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti — in front of Trump in the Oval Office, with Trump describing it as a "major breakthrough."
"Truly, it is historic," Trump said. "I look forward to going to both countries in the not too distant future."
The deal came just weeks after Trump announced an agreement had been reached between the United Arab Emirates and Israel on opening up relations between the two countries.
The U.S. moved its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018 after recognizing Jerusalem as its capital a year earlier, and has urged countries to do the same. Until now, Kosovo, a mainly Moslem country, had not recognized Israel.
Administration officials had met with the leaders on Thursday, urging them to put aside their political differences in favor of closer economic ties. Kosovo had declared independence from Serbia in 2008, nine years after NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis....
conducted an
...KABOOM!...
campaign against Serbia in a bid to end the persecution of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.