Thaci: Dialogue with Serbia must ensure Kosovo seats in UN, why not recognition of them

President Hashim Thaci has told The Guardian that he has a feeling of knowledge and pride for Kosovo's achievements. It has listed Kosovo's achievements in the past decade, including the construction of governing institutions, economic growth of 4% in the past ten years, membership in about 200 international organisations, as the daily, from FIFA to the IMF, writes.

On the other hand, the American-British medium, “Business New Europe”, quoted President Thaci as saying that Kosovo's successes in building institutions and in international relations exceed challenges, including Kosovo's continued efforts to join the United Nations.

“We are now working to enter the final phase of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, the dialogue which I hope would not only lead to a historic solution for the troubled Balkan region, but would also secure Kosovo's long-wanted seat at the United Nations”, President Thaci has said.

And if there is will, why not have the recognition of Kosovo from Serbia? I am fully aware that this is an ambitious plan, but without ambition, I cannot expect to achieve your goals”, he said.

President Thaci stressed that without Russia's veto of Kosovo's membership in the United Nations, the consolidation of Kosovo in the international arena would be complete.

However, he rejects comparisons between Kosovo and, as writes Russia's “Business New Europe”, other contested territories, saying that the annexation of the Crime on the part of Russia cannot be compared to the independence of Kosovo under any circumstances.

“The voices comparing Kosovo to Catalonia do not stand”, he added. “Catalonia is not Kosovo, just as Spain is not Serbia. The Serbian state has committed genocide in Kosovo. We still think Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Slovakia and Romania will recognise Kosovo”, President Thaci has said.

Thaci emphasises that Spain's long-term policy is supportive of Kosovo, adding that Madrid has accepted President Ahtisaari's document on Kosovo's self-government and membership in international bodies, as well as cited the presence of Spanish troops in NATO ranks in Kosovo.

I, along with our international partners, pushed it before the Special Court's establishment in 2015. This is an irreversible process. I have stressed that this is a historic injustice to Kosovo. But for the sake of our partnership with the EU, NATO and the US, I was sure would convince the deputies that the two-thirds necessary majority would approve the law in our country. I have been greatly criticized at the time, but we have done this for the sake of the country for our future alongside our allies”, President Thaci added.

The country's first emphasises that this court is unfair and unprecedented, given that the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague has completed its work at the end of last year and that the KLA has only been responsible for the “genocide sponsored by the state of Serbia”.

But nothing, in full sense of anything, no price that will affect or undermine our partnership with the European Union, NATO and the United States of America”, he has added.

Thaci insists that he is not guilty and that he is not old enough, he stresses that he is only 49 years old and says “has never felt more energetic” until while looking back in the ten years of Kosovo's independence, during which period he was the most influential personality.

“We have built and now have local and central local institutions fully functional”, he says. “They fully comply with European and Western best standards and practices”.

Thaci says he will continue to work to push ahead with judicial reform and strengthen rule of law, saying Kosovo's problems do not distinguish with those of other Western Balkan states and everywhere.