"We encourage both Kosovo and Serbia to take immediate steps to lower tensions and create conditions to progress on the normalization dialogue," Hunter said on Monday.
"We urge both parties to remove any barriers and do not take provocative actions that prevent returning to the negotiate table and reaching comprehensive normalization agreement," Hunter said.
On December 13, the Kosovo parliament voted in favor of expanding the existing Kosovo Security Force into a 5,000-strong army. Serbia has criticized the move as being in violation of UN Security Council resolution 1244.
READ MORE: Kosovo’s Future Army to Be NATO Ally — Leader Thaci
The UN Security Council held the meeting on Monday at Serbia's request.
Albanians in Serbia’s province of Kosovo and Metohia proclaimed independence in 2008 — a move that has been encouraged by the United States and its allies and recognized by more than hundred UN member states. The move has not been recognized by Serbia and two permanent members of the UN Security Council — Russia and China.
