In dialogue with Serbia from point zero

The meeting of Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, and the co-directors of the Kosovo negotiating team in the dialogue with Serbia, Fatmir Limaj and Shpend Ahmeti on Monday has clarified the situation that connects with dialogue in Brussels, praised the connoisseurs of political developments in the country.

But they have differing views regarding this situation and positions faced dialogue.

President Thaci has declared that the negotiating team has been handed over to an information “document”, which includes specific issues discussed within the final phase of the dialogue.

On the other hand, officials of the negotiating team have stressed that they have received a “presidency report for the state delegation”, which “is not documentation which has been agreed on or discussed with Brussels”.

They have also stressed that Kosovo's “president has assured them that there is no official draft agreed on either with Brussels or with Serbia, regarding the future process of dialogue in Brussels” and that “should be started by zero, to start building co-ordination of subjects”.

Politologist Ramush Tahiri tells Radio Free Europe that the good result in this situation is that there is already an institutional co-operation between the president of Kosovo, his office and the negotiating team, which has received all competencies for dialogue and that it has the president's support and assistance.

Now, the syntagma that Kosovo is going to start from the zero point means that the president is approved by all charges they have been made so far, because he has not talked about anything and has not reached any agreement with Serbia, and has so far reached no agreement on changing borders or exchange of territories for which he has been charged in opinion, but also by political parties. This has served as an initiative to create a team, which takes over the president's competencies and now this team heads the talks”, Tahiri stressed.

He has added that this situation can calm the atmosphere and opinion in Kosovo and creates preconditions that with a kind of unity and trust continue dialogue on reaching an agreement with Serbia.

But, political affairs analyst Artan Muhhaxhiri, speaking of Radio Free Europe, expresses the opinion that it is least reliable that talks in Brussels have developed without an orientation for Kosovo, Serbia and the European Union.

According to him, if the talks were left to spontaneous and not determined what to discuss in the future, this would be an absurd situation.

Consequently, as he says, it is not a realistic option for access to the next phase of dialogue to be started by zero.

It appears that there is no will by any party involved, neither from the Kosovo side, nor from the Serbian side nor from the EU's, to publish all positions discussed at those meetings. So there is a silent agreement between the three main sides not to become transparent what is discussed in Brussels. However, it is incredible that there will be no agreement already between the three sides for the important points, because that would mean that all those conversations are in vain”, Mujaziri said.

The negotiator Team's co-director, Fatmir Limaj, has stressed on Monday that with documentation received by President Thaci and the draft law on dialogue proposed by Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, a report is being built to move forward in the dialogue process with Serbia”.

But, politicologist Tahiri, estimates that it remains to be seen whether the construction of the Kosovo side's stance by the negotiating team will succeed in dialogue with Serbia.

“A negotiating team will succeed and will it be a very megalomane or very exclusive platform, approved in the Parliament? This platform should be seen whether it leaves the possibility for dialogue or has very rigid positions, which imperil the mediator, the European Union, but also fails to participate in Serbia's team, if the consultations don't remain open, but are complete”, Tahiri said.

Meanwhile, analyst Muhhaxhiri stresses that the Kosovo side should be realistic and pragmatistic, as well as not ask for things for which it will not have support from the international community and the country's allies.

I think the most realistic option is to work to make the most of this final stage, because that's how it can be obtained concretely. However, if the negotiating team intends to impose the agenda of the entire dialogue, including the international community, then I don't think it will succeed”, Muhramir praised.

However, the leaders of Kosovo's highest institutions and the negotiating team for dialogue with Serbia have stressed that the result of the dialogue should be recognition of Kosovo by Serbia.

They have pledged a transparent process in dialogue with Serbia.