Western diplomats are visiting Kosovo and Serbia today

2023-10-21 08:28:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

On October 21, five diplomats from the West will start their visits to Kosovo and Serbia, with one main goal - the revival of the dialogue between the two countries.

This is how the European Union justified the visits of its envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, together with the American envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, and senior officials from France, Emanuel Bonne, Germany, Jens Plotner and Italy. Francesco Talo, in Pristina and Belgrade.

According to the Prime Minister's announcement, the head of the Government in Kosovo, Albin Kurti, will receive the diplomats at 10:00. The authorities in Belgrade have said that the meetings in the Serbian capital will start at 14:00.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels have told Radio Free Europe that this visit is intended to send a message that there is unity between the United States and the EU, to work on the implementation of the Agreement for the normalization of relations between the two countries, reached in February this year in Brussels.

A month later, in Ohrid, North Macedonia, agreement was reached on the annex to its implementation.

At a summit held on October 20 between the USA and the EU in Washington, the parties called for the "quick and unconditional" implementation of the Agreement for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and for the two countries to return to the dialogue.

"We underline the need for Kosovo and Serbia to urgently reduce tensions and quickly and unconditionally implement the Agreement on the path towards normalization of relations between them and return to the dialogue facilitated by the EU", it was said, among other things, in the statement approved.

But, after the developments in Banjska i Zveçan, the Kosovo authorities have said that things can no longer be the same regarding the course of the dialogue.

On September 24, Kosovo Police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed in Banjska, as a result of attacks by an armed Serbian group. In the ongoing exchange of fire between the police and that group, three attackers were also killed.

The responsibility for the attack was taken by the former vice-president of the Serbian List, Millan Radoicic, who then gave up all functions of the party, which enjoys the support of official Belgrade.

Kosovo is looking for the extradition of Radoicic from Serbia. Kosovo blames Serbia for the September 24 attack, but it rejects all claims.

What does Kosovo want?

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said on October 20 that there can be no normalization of relations with Serbia, without security in Kosovo. Kosovo's chief negotiator for the dialogue between the two countries, Besnik Bislimi, has said that first the measures against Kosovo should be removed, and Serbia should not be allowed to commit aggression in Kosovo again.

The European Union imposed punitive measures against Kosovo months ago, after the increase in tensions in the north of Kosovo. The situation has, on occasion, escalated into violence.

Kosovo's request for the imposition of punitive measures against Serbia was also made by the European Parliament, which through a resolution approved on October 19, requested that Belgrade face consequences if a direct link between Serbia and the attack in Banjska is proven.

What is required of the two countries?

Sources in Brussels have told Radio Free Europe that the diplomats' expectations are that Kosovo will be asked to find a way to "organize the local elections as quickly as possible in the four municipalities in the north" and pledge to start establishing the Association of the municipalities with a Serbian majority, which the Government in Pristina has rejected so far, on the grounds that it could jeopardize the functionality of the state.

It is believed that Serbia will be required to distance itself from any action that could destabilize the north of Kosovo and to also implement the agreements that were reached earlier in the dialogue.

The agreement on normalization - key
Western diplomats have mentioned several times that the implementation of the Agreement reached on February 27 in Brussels is a key step for the way forward towards European integration.

The agreement with 11 articles does not oblige Serbia to recognize Kosovo, but requires both countries to accept each other's documents and symbols, including: passports, diplomas and license plates.

"There will be interesting proposals"

A few days ago, the American ambassador in Belgrade, Christopher Hill, told N1 television in Serbia that at the meetings on October 21, "interesting proposals" will be made to Kosovo and Serbia, without giving more details.

Kosovo and Serbia have been part of the dialogue mediated by the EU, for the normalization of relations, since 2011. The parties have signed a number of agreements, but not all of them have been implemented.

Only Prime Minister Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? have met eight times in the framework of this dialogue, since 2021, but all meetings have ended without signing any agreement./ REL