The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, has urged Kosovo's president to do more to uphold the rule of law and fight organized crime and corruption to achieve the Balkan state's goal of joining the European Union.

Van Rompuy said Tuesday implementing reforms will “steadily bring Kosovo closer to the EU,” but warned the process will require “a lot of hard work, patience and focus.” He was speaking in Brussels at a joint news conference with visiting Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, who said Pristina is “ready and capable to fulfill all of its obligations” to become a member of the EU and the NATO alliance.

Van Rompuy expressed hope that Kosovo and the 27-nation EU bloc will make progress soon on starting a visa dialogue. He also urged Ms. Jahjaga to continue talks with Serbia to try to resolve remaining issues of dispute between the two. Predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo seceded from Serbia in 2008, a move Belgrade rejected.

The European Council president praised Kosovo and Serbia for reaching economic agreements last week in EU-mediated talks in Brussels. The agreements call for Serbia to recognize customs stamps marked “Kosovo Customs,” a move designed to facilitate trade and allow both states to lift embargoes on each other's goods.

A trade dispute between Serbia and Kosovo erupted into violence last month. Pristina sent troops to ethnic Serb-dominated northern Kosovo to enforce a new ban on Serbian imports. The move was a response to an existing Serbian ban on imports from Kosovo.

Northern Kosovo Serbs remain loyal to Serbia and confronted the ethnic Albanian troops. One soldier was killed in the unrest. NATO peacekeepers intervened to stop the fighting.

The commander of NATO's mission in Kosovo said Tuesday a significant potential for violence remains in northern Kosovo due to the presence of radicals and organized criminals. German General Erhard Buehler spoke at a Pristina news conference ahead of the end of his year-long mandate on Friday. He said criminals and smugglers were taking advantage of recent unrest to make a profit.