Behgjet Pacolli speaks of Demarquement: If there's no evidence, we go back to version one.

DW: Mr. Minister, days ago you were together with the president of Kosovo in the US, where you met many leaders of different countries of the world, from these meetings can Kosovo expect any new recognition of its independence?

Behet Pacolli: Meetings have been numerous, and meetings have had the goal of reopening Kosovo's doors to numerous states of the world to those who have recognised Kosovo's independence and to confirm that Kosovo is their partner state and is factored and Kosovo is interested in having diplomatic relations and the economic level with these states. The rest of our meetings are marked by our efforts to get new recognitions and to have as many friends as possible.

Continue to prioritize the achievement of recognitions for Kosovo, in the past you have sometimes complained about the foreign ministry's lack of employment, but now you lead this dictatorship?

Kosovo's recognitions have slightly stalled, and only two recognitions of Kosovo have come in the past mandate. In my main agenda, I have deepening diplomatic relations with all continents and with states that have not recognised Kosovo's independence. Kosovo's recognitions are very important and we will never stop.

1. Pacolli, is a very current issue -- referendum on Catalonia's independence -- many countries that have not recognised Kosovo's independence are comparing the Catalonian referendum with the case of Kosovo, what is Kosovo's position in this case?

I don't see any connections between Catalonia and Kosovo. Catalonia aims to be separated from a consolidated state, a democratic state, from a state that has invested heavily in Catatone and a living standard in this region has been much higher than in other parts of Spain. In order not to get into Spain's problem with Catalonia, Kosovo has had a completely different position, Kosovo has been practically occupied by Serbia, so the Kosovo case cannot be compared to that of Catalonia.

The issue of demarcation with Montenegro has remained unresolved, you were for a visit to Montenegro and Montenegrin authorities said the demarcation issue for them has ended, while Kosovo is seeking renegotiation of the agreement. What happens now?

What happened before I came to this task, I'm not going to take care of it, but the reality is that we have a problem that requires solutions. We have an agreement signed with the Montenegrin side, and that agreement has been ratified in Montenegro's parliament, it remains to be ratified in the Kosovo parliament as well. That agreement has already received an international character and is an agreement that “de-jure” seeks to be respected. I have no problems that that agreement is not respected, because no one has yet done anything, no one has gone to cross the border below and we have no conflict with Montenegro. But there is another fact that in Kosovo the opinion is divided on this issue, and that opinion is also seen in the Kosovo parliament. For Montenegro the issue of demarcation is closed, we understand it and respect it, but we have to see it here within what happened. Is there any real basis for proving that the signed agreement is not fair and we really lost territory or not? I know Montenegro is not interested in taking over Kosovo's territory, as opposed to Kosovo's not interested in taking over Montenegro's territory. But, anyway, it is the right of every citizen of Kosovo to know what it is. Now a commission has been formed and this commission must bring valid evidence used internationally that the preliminary agreement has been wrong. If there is no evidence, we will return to the first agreement. Montenegro has no reason to rush and ask for something we cannot do today, as is the ratification now of that agreement.

Montenegro has no reason to hurry, but Kosovo has, because, because, non-countering demarcation in the Kosovo Parliament has stopped visa liberalisation for Kosovo?

Yeah, now it's our problem, that we're able to have evidence and testify, that another negotiation is needed, I don't know yet. I personally think the facts should be brought in. If there are no facts, we must tell the citizens that there are no facts and the agreement is what it is. But during my visit to Brussels, I have not wanted to make the interconnection of these two issues, demarcation and visa liberalisation. Demarkation is a condition imposed on Kosovo unjustly, and I have told all of those with whom I have talked, and finally I had constructive conversations and with Commissioner Johannes Hahn, Mrs. Moghrini and I have told them this and I believe I've come across understanding and it's almost decided to form two groups, one from Kosovo and one from the European Commission to discuss the way we can get free from the demarcation condition and the integration process not to be hostage of this point, but to move forward and to the process of integration of visa liberalisation.
Before you were appointed to the post of foreign minister, you had a visit to Berlin. As you know, official Berlin has taken an important role in the integration of Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo. Now there is a new government, do you think in the past Kosovo has not approached you enough of its orientation with Germany?
I consider it fair that I have consulted with our German friends because Germany is a state that plays an essential role in the EU. My entry into a pre-election coalition and after elections entering another coalition has had the highly constructive character of Kosovo not being held hostage by the institutional blockade, and Kosovo is helped move forward, and this is respected by the German side. I want to tell you today that the government programme has several key points discussed in Berlin and approved with current Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and today are part of the governing programme. I tell you that Berlin has had a very constructive and effective role in forming this government.

Dialogue with Serbia: There has been talk of a new phase of dialogue at a time when a series of agreements reached in the past with Serbia have not been implemented by the Serbian side, as it says, official Pristina. This time will Kosovo have red lines or other access to this dialogue?

Let's not talk about red lines, dialogue does not stand red lines, dialogue is made to absorb problems, challenges. Red lines have violence, there is strength, war and dialogue should be, not red lines, but to find the way out of various problems there may be. I believe, that Serbia's future dialogue will be a process that has solutions and not is for public consumption. The processes have taken the right course and I see there are positive moves from Serbia. The Vuciki initiative in this direction should not be criticised but should be taken as constructive and from that interesting parts should be taken and studied and used as the basis for further conversation. One knows Serbia is clear that a reconciliation with Albanians would greatly contribute to the region and Serbia, and we too know in Kosovo that this is the reality. Serbia is a consolidated state, has a large portion of the borderline with Kosovo, and Kosovo today presents an important client for Serbia's goods and what needs to happen here, has to happen intensification of jobs, and we have to work more quickly on the topics where the free movement of citizens and capital, goods, ideas and this should enable it directly to improve living standards. Serbia knows that the day of reconciliation with Kosovo will come and will be summed up in the conclusions of all the efforts that have been made so far, and these concluded will be closed and there will be a title, reconciliation agreement. I enjoy that reconciliation, because it benefits Kosovo, benefits Serbia, benefits the region and the Kosovo government will not stop in this direction. Perhaps at the opening of the final stage of the dialogue there will be a time limit on topics that are considered necessary for the time being. I know that we have made many concessions and there are no concessions that have occurred because of our ignorance or that we have been disabled, but there are concessions that are considered as a help for Serbia to reach great reconciliation and that we should never forget, and our withdrawal on the eve of confirming Kosovo's membership in Interpol was a very clear gesture that we are helping the dialogue process. Right now we're seriously thinking about not applying to U. NESTO and these are strong signals that we send to Serbia, that we are helping the process because reconciliation should also have a substance inside, and that substance is that Serbia will not block integration initiatives through regional European and global organisations in the future. I think maybe at this summit we would be members of U. NESTO. It does not cost Kosovo much, we are waiting a little longer and enriching the reconciliation contract with these topics.