“US against change of limits”

The division of Kosovo or the shift of territories will be a major risk for the entire Balkans and such a thing will not be accepted by the United States of America, Daniel Cerwer, professor at John Hopkins University in Washington, said in an interview for Radio Free Europe.

According to him, Serbia has always wanted to split Kosovo, but innovation is President Hashim Thaci's insistence on correcting the border in the eastern part. He says Serbia and Kosovo have already opened Pandora's Box in the Balkans and should close as soon as possible.

Radio Free Europe: Why are discussions on partitioning Kosovo continuing despite Berlin and London's stance that they oppose any change in borders in the Balkans?

Daniel SerwerI think the German position is critical. Without German support, this idea of border correction, exchange of territories, land change, consider it as you wish, simply cannot go any further. I think Serbia has always been interested in this idea. Vuciqi has postponed this idea before and recently, but has been a common opinion in Belgrade for a long time. It's new that President Thaci recently talked about it. I personally think it was a huge mistake on his part. Vuciq wants to speak only about the correction of the border in the northern part, Thaci wants to correct Kosovo's border only to the east, and you know that there is not only one way to fix the border. They would have to exchange territory and an exchange of territory would harm their interests, because Serbia has always wanted to maintain control over the north-south route to the sea in Thessaloniki, and Kosovo has always wanted to maintain control over water supply (from Lake Weyman) in the northern part. I don't think this deal can be made. I think Merkel has done a great favor by saying no. I think Americans should say no too. They've been slow to do this, but I want to believe it means a non-clear and critical.

Many in Kosovo and Serbia say the idea of partitioning Kosovo is being supported by Americans?

I don't think there's any evidence of American support for this idea. (Serbian Prime Minister) Brnabiq and (Prime Minister) Daciq came to Washington vigorously pushing this idea forward, including through people who were close to President Trump and Americans, said: “Okay, we'll hear what you have to say, come to us with some idea”. I don't think Americans have ever thought about actually adopting the idea, they just thought they'd listen, and that's interpreted in the Balkans as support. I don't see any support for any idea of division in Washington, and I think that in the end Americans would say a non-clear one.

If Kosovo and Serbia reach an agreement and the realisation of the idea of partition, do you think this would be a major problem in the process of Euro-integrations of Serbia and Kosovo?

Of course, there may be massive population movements. Kosovo has been very cautious about this. It is very clear that if the four northern municipalities are given to Serbia then Serbs living south of Kosovo will be evacuated. And Father Sava Janjiq (from the Decani Monastery) has been very clear about this and understands the implications for partitioning Kosovo so he has publicly rejected it. He may also not accept independence, but he particularly opposes partition because of implications that could happen with Serbs in the southern part of Ibër. Kosovo will not remain an independent state if there is division. If there is division, it could join Albania or the Albanian part of Macedonia by creating chaos in the Balkans. This would end any hope for accession to the European Union in any future, and this would also end Serbia's dream of the European Union. So there's a big risk here even for ambition to join NATO and the European Union, and this applies to Pristina and Belgrade. They need to know that they have already opened Pandora's Box, and they need to close it as soon as possible. (REL)