AAKA official: Transaction of territories only makes sense after Serbia recognises Kosovo

Ramush Haradinaj's party has begun to change its stance on the topic of exchanging territories between Kosovo and Serbia following claims by American officials that they do not reject such an idea if the two countries reach agreement.

One of the leaders of Prime Minister Haradinaj's Party, Muharrem Nitaj, has said the exchange of territories can only make sense after Serbia recognises Kosovo.

“The idea of exchanging territories with a bilateral agreement could make sense, only after Serbia has recognised Kosovo at the borders it currently has”, Nitaj has declared.

A day earlier, White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has said in Kiev that the US will not be an obstacle if Kosovo and Serbia agree on exchange of territories.

“ ...if both sides can work with each other to reach an agreement, we do not rule out territorial corrections”, Bolton said.

However, in this situation, at a time when Kosovo and Serbia do not know each other, Nitaj says neither should the subject be opened.

The AAK's and its deputies' position is against the very idea of opening this subject. I believe this will also be the stance of the Convention in general”, Nitaj told Express on Saturday.

Nitaj considers that Serbia's report to Kosovo has not changed and continues to be the same as 20 years ago.

Kosovo has been independent of these borders, following a bloody war and after a genocide Serbia has fought against the Albanian population. Unfortunately, the leadership in Serbia in relation to Kosovo is in the same positions as it was 20 years ago, so the idea of exchange of territories is an impossible” mission, he says.

It has been more than a month since President Hashim Thaci has been promoting with intensity to add his idea of exchanging territory with Serbia. So far, Thaci has no support for political parties, either in power or in opposition. Against this idea and any change in borders in the Balkans, Germany, Great Britain and the connoisseur of Balkan issues have emerged.

For Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and AAK, the idea of changing borders, partition or exchange of territories means war.

Contradicting with Thaci's is holding chairman PDK, Kadri Wessel. Change of borders, Wessel has called it a Serbian plan.

Kosovo Presidency officials have said that at this stage it is speculation any idea that leads in exchange for territories with Serbia.

But they had not denied the launch of informal conversations with the Serbian side on the idea. However, Bekim Colak has said that the historic agreement with Serbia should guarantee Kosovo membership in the UN and Euro-Atlantic integration.