The normalisation of Kosovo relations -- Serbia -- must happen to mutual recognition, with diplomatic relations established

They say this normalisation should occur with mutual recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Politologist Ramush Tahiri told Radio Free Europe that normalisation cannot be done with historical revision, nor with the parameters of nationalist policies that have caused war in the Balkans.

The United States and the European Union have a key role in normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia. The European Union has criteria and conditions for Serbia and its membership with meeting the criteria, where Kosovo is. While the United States, as superpowers, is interested in having peace and stability in the Balkans, which includes Kosovo's project as a sovereign and independent state”, Tahiri says, recalling that the US has committed much to the life of this state (Kosovo).

Meanwhile, political analyst Imer Mushkolaj tells Radio Free Europe that a different commitment is needed from the United States of America and the European Union, compared to the form of how dialogue has developed in recent years so that the process can be completed with a concrete result.

The implementation of a possible agreement between Kosovo and Serbia should still have the US guarantee. So, for the Kosovar side it does not seem that only US participation in the quality of facilitator or mediator, but more importantly that is the guarantee that it should come from the United States for the practice of the” agreement, Mushkolaj said.

Mushkolaj thinks that on the level of restarting dialogue with Serbia, the Kosovo side is frustrated because of the EU's approach to Kosovo and Serbia's diplomatic fight towards Kosovo independence.

According to him, if once again resumes dialogue between the parties without a realisation of what the outcome will be, doubts will be that the dialogue is not on track. For political negotiations conducted so far by the European Union as a facilitator, the Kosovo side, Mushkolaj says, the impression that the Serb side has favoured the most.

The “here [the bias] primarily links it to the visa liberalisation issue. Brussels says these two issues do not relate to each other, but it seems to stand by this fact because while Brussels has chosen the issue of liberalisation to have it as a carrot for the Kosovo side at different times, it is already beginning to appear that the same carrot will continue to hold it until an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia” is reached, Mushkolaj said.

US State Department Special Envoy for Western Balkans Matthew Palmer, during the visit to Kosovo, said the United States encourages Kosovo to seriously approach dialogue and reach agreement on normalising reports with Serbia.

Special Representative UN for Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, in an interview for Radio Free Europe, has said that new economic opportunities and foreign investments in Kosovo and Serbia can make it easier to reach a final agreement between the two countries.

He has added that Richard Green, the US special presidential envoy for peace talks in Kosovo and Serbia, is in the best position to do so.

According to Palmer, the US goal is to make the essence of the agreement mutual recognition, remembering that the process of dialogue is destined for compromise.

Kosovo has just completed the process of early parliamentary elections, with the preliminary results of the elections, the Vetevendosje Movement has emerged the winning party.

On the other hand, Serbia has conditioned the resumption of talks with the removal of the customs tax Kosovo has imposed on all imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina last November 21st.

While outgoing Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has declared that the tax could only be abolished if Serbia recognises Kosovo as a state, Vetevendosje leader, who is currently seen as the only candidate for Kosovo's future prime minister, has warned of imposing the measure of full reciprocity on Serbia, thus not excluding the possibility of lifting the tax.