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NATO ready to work with Sorensen as mediator in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue

2025-01-28 22:39:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

NATO has expressed its readiness to work closely with Peter Sorensen when he officially starts work as the European Union envoy for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

His position was confirmed a day ago, and he will start work on February 1.

"Continued cooperation between NATO and the EU is key to maintaining stability in the Western Balkans region," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said in a post on X - the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Earlier in the day, the outgoing EU envoy for the dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, said he had met with his successor, and they are making sure the transition happens as smoothly as possible.

Lajcak has been in the position of mediator for five years. During his mandate, the Agreement on the normalization of relations between the two countries was reached, but no steps have been taken towards its implementation.

Also on Tuesday, Sorensen's appointment to the position of mediator was welcomed by Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, who is also Kosovo's chief negotiator in the dialogue with Serbia.

He said he expects a balancing approach towards the parties, as a prerequisite for a successful process towards normalizing relations.

Sorensen has extensive diplomatic experience in EU structures. He is currently Senior Advisor at the EU External Action Service (EEAS) for digital diplomacy.

During his diplomatic career in the EU, Sorensen has held several assignments in the Western Balkans, including Kosovo, where he worked in the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

His experience from the region is said to have been one of the arguments why Chief Diplomat Kaja Kallas decided that he should be Lajcak's successor.

In the past, Kosovo leaders, from the country's president, Vjosa Osmani, to Prime Minister Albin Kurti, have criticized Lajcak for an unbalanced approach to dialogue and for occasionally siding with Serbia.

Lajcak himself said in an interview with Radio Free Europe months ago that such claims are unfounded and assessed that societies in Kosovo and Serbia are not ready for normalization.

Kosovo and Serbia have been dialogued in Brussels since 2011.

The parties have reached a multitude of agreements, but not all of them have been implemented.

The European Union frequently reminds both parties that advancement in the dialogue process is linked to their path to Euro-Atlantic integration.

Serbia enjoys the status of a candidate country for membership in the European bloc and has already opened several chapters for membership, while Kosovo has applied to become a member of the EU, but its application has not yet been reviewed.

Kosovo is the only one in the Western Balkans region that does not have candidate country status, although senior EU officials repeatedly say that the future of the Balkan region is in the bloc. /REL