“I do not expect a significant change of the policy of the USA towards the Western Balkans countries,” said Hoyt Brian Yee, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US State Department.
“This is the case because our interests in the region are main interests of stability, prosperity, democracy and the rule of law, and we will not change that. We learned from the past two decades that if we do not help this region, there can be a problem. The European Union is also responsible for helping the region to progress towards a stronger democracy, economy, and the rule of law,” noted Hoyt Yee.
According to him, the USA wants to help everyone in the region, however, the main responsibility for that is on the countries and their own governments.
“They need to implement necessary reforms of the judiciary, the media, and the state, to invest necessary funds through budgets in order to support these institutions and make the right decisions. To establish partnerships with countries that have same goals and to not tolerate interference and relations with countries that wish for countries in the region not to meet their strategic goals,” he said.
When asked about the influence of Russia in the territory of Western Balkans and the strategy of Moscow, the high US official noted that the President of USA, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense clearly stated that the USA are willing to work with Russia in the fields where there are common interests and basis.
(Source: klix.ba)
