US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Kosovo on Wednesday to do more to prevent young people becoming jihadists and joining the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
On the highest-level US visit to Pristina since 2012, Kerry said Washington had worked closely with Kosovo to address the threat of violent extremism, "terrorist finance" and fighters returning from Syria.
"Kosovo has set a powerful example for the region with high profile arrests and even stronger legislation to combat extremism," he told reporters.
"But it's obvious that more needs to be done," he added during a press conference with Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.
He added: "We need to continue to work together to fight back against false promises of Daesh (IS)."
Kosovo is one of the poorest parts of Europe and its population of 1.8 million is predominantly ethnic Albanian and Muslim.
About 300 of its people joined the jihadists' frontlines in Iraq and Syria, according to the latest police figures given to AFP.
Fifty of them have been killed in fighting while around 120 have returned to Kosovo, police said.
The issue has touched most of the Balkan region, including Bosnia, Serbia and Albania, where legislation against jihadists and their recruiters has also been tightened.
Washington has been one the strongest supporters of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008 in a move that Belgrade refuses to recognise.
But Kerry condemned recent disruption in Kosovo's parliament caused by opposition MPs, who have repeatedly released tear gas in the chamber in protest against dialogue and deals reached with Serbia.
He stressed that parliament "is not the place for tear gas and that is not the place for intimidation".
"All parties must renounce the use of violence in public life and instead commit to engaging with each other peacefully and constructively to resolve differences and advance the interests of the entire country," he said.
The European Union, which both Kosovo and Serbia aspire to join, has been brokering talks and agreements between Belgrade and Pristina to improve relations between the two sides, which fought a war in the late 1990s.
Kerry praised the dialogue, insisting that the United States "would not support any agreement that would threaten the sovereignty, security, or independence of Kosovo".
After the pit stop in Pristina, Kerry continues to Belgrade for a meeting of foreign ministers held by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Kosovo on Wednesday to do more to prevent young people becoming jihadists and joining the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
On the highest-level US visit to Pristina since 2012, Kerry said Washington had worked closely with Kosovo to address the threat of violent extremism, “terrorist finance” and fighters returning from Syria.
“Kosovo has set a powerful example for the region with high profile arrests and even stronger legislation to combat extremism,” he told reporters.
“But it’s obvious that more needs to be done,” he added during a press conference with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.
He added: “We need to continue to work together to fight back against false promises of Daesh (IS).”
Kosovo is one of the poorest parts of Europe and its population of 1.8 million is predominantly ethnic Albanian and Muslim.
About 300 of its people joined the jihadists’ frontlines in Iraq and Syria, according to the latest police figures given to AFP.
Fifty of them have been killed in fighting while around 120 have returned to Kosovo, police said.
The issue has touched most of the Balkan region, including Bosnia, Serbia and Albania, where legislation against jihadists and their recruiters has also been tightened.
Washington has been one the strongest supporters of Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008 in a move that Belgrade refuses to recognise.
But Kerry condemned recent disruption in Kosovo’s parliament caused by opposition MPs, who have repeatedly released tear gas in the chamber in protest against dialogue and deals reached with Serbia.
He stressed that parliament “is not the place for tear gas and that is not the place for intimidation”.
“All parties must renounce the use of violence in public life and instead commit to engaging with each other peacefully and constructively to resolve differences and advance the interests of the entire country,” he said.
The European Union, which both Kosovo and Serbia aspire to join, has been brokering talks and agreements between Belgrade and Pristina to improve relations between the two sides, which fought a war in the late 1990s.
Kerry praised the dialogue, insisting that the United States “would not support any agreement that would threaten the sovereignty, security, or independence of Kosovo”.
After the pit stop in Pristina, Kerry continues to Belgrade for a meeting of foreign ministers held by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
