20 minutes agoSerwer: Kosovo's EU membership depends on normalisation of reports with Serbia
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)Integration of Kosovo and Serbia into the European Union will depend on progress in normalising their relations. Serbia must solve the problem of non-recognition of Kosovo. Kosovo, in turn, although still far from EU membership, aims at its full recognition by the international community. State Department Director for [...]
Integration of Kosovo and Serbia into the European Union will depend on progress in normalising their relations. Serbia must solve the problem of non-recognition of Kosovo. Kosovo, in turn, although still far from EU membership, aims at its full recognition by the international community. State Department for South and Central Europe Director Matthew Palmer in an interview with the Serbian Voice of America service, says the goal of the United States is for Kosovo to enter the UN. According to analyst Daniel Cerwer, this membership should be part of an agreement on normalising relations between the two countries.
Mr. Palmer accepts the difficult period Serbia and Kosovo are going through in the process of dialogue, but calls on both countries to return to dialogue as soon as possible.
“I think it is important that the parties return to the dialogue table as soon as possible, try to leave behind the events of the previous three weeks and look forward and try to find a way to make progress in the programme they agreed to”, he said.
Dialogue and normalising relations is the key to Kosovo and Serbia's EU integration, Balkan Affairs analyst Daniel Cerwer told Voice of America.
The implementation of laws is a major problem for Kosovo. But, the really big problem with meeting EU membership conditions is not technical but political. The five European Union countries that have not recognised Kosovo's independence, but other countries that have recognised it expect a full normalisation of relations with Belgrade before membership”.
Mr. Palmer thinks there's a chance for progress by the end of 2018. The State Department senior official, says that Kosovo's membership in the UN is the target of the United States.
I don't have a specific deadline for this. Membership in the United Nations is a complex process, it is something that may take time to realise, but Kosovo's integration into the international system continues, I hope very much to accelerate and very much hope that in the near future, Kosovo will have a place in the United Nations. But I repeat that I don't have a certain date except to say, as soon as possible”, he said.
While, Serwer emphasises that the issue of Kosovo's UN membership should be part of an agreement on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia, where the establishment of the Serb Communists Community is the most urgent issue to be resolved between the two sides.
The two countries have to find ways to create the Serb Communist Community. I think Belgrade and Pristina should reach an agreement, perhaps not for mutual recognition, but an agreement on Kosovo's membership in the UN, which would be essential to normalising relations. The two countries must also reach agreement on exchanging diplomatic representatives at the ambassadorial level. These are very difficult issues, not only for Belgrade, but also for Pristina. So Kosovo has big challenges ahead of it”.
The European Commission, in the progress report that was released Tuesday, urges Kosovo to deepen its engagement in talks with Serbia and work on implementing the agreements reached, particularly the establishment of the Serb majority communities. / VoA
