Hill: Kosovo was a big topic, I heard a lot about it when I was working in Albania, I met Rugova at the ambassador's residence

American diplomat Christopher Hill told the Special Court in The Hague that Kosovo was part of his responsibility as a member of the United States Security Council even after 2000.

He said during his testimony in the case of the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army that "Kosovo was a very big topic within the Balkans, very important."

Regarding the situation in Kosovo, he said that he had heard about it during his two years of work in Albania as ambassador.

"During my two years of work in Albania I have heard a lot about the situation in Kosovo. I did not personally visit Kosovo until May 1998 when I was asked to take it on as an additional responsibility," he said.

During the Dayton Agreement, he said he did not have the opportunity to meet with representatives of Kosovo.

Hill said he met Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova for the first time at the US ambassador's residence in 1998.

"This was my first conversation or meeting with Ibrahim Rugova," said the American diplomat.