Kosovo urges Croatia to support Serbia's agreement achieved

The strong historical link between Kosovo and Croatia dates back to the difficult times of the 1990s, when the people of Croatia, like the Kosovo one, led the causes of liberation and freedom against Milosevic's genocide regime.

“Croatia well knows the pain of our common past, and the difficulties of the Euro-Atlantic route that Kosovo is facing in recent years. ” ♫ Minister Haradinaj- Stublla said, conveying, as well, the deep gratitude of the people of Kosovo and its institutions for Croatia's continued and permanent support that Kosovo has enjoyed for all the processes it has gone through.

At their meeting, which had Kosovo and Croatia's top diplomats, they agreed to finalise the Strategic Partnership Agreement in the short term for strengthening bilateral co-operation in foreign policy, security, the economy, and regional co-operation.

At two meetings, views were exchanged even about dialogue with Serbia, and expectations from the EU and US roles in reaching a final agreement with Serbia. Minister Haradinaj- Stublla requested from Croatia as an EU member state, and as the most accurate connoisseur of regional dynamics, to help the EU define the three fundamental elements of dialogue correctly:

1. Setting Principles to respect territorial integrity, constitutional order, and unitary character;
2. Time frame definition for achieving final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia; and
3. Defining the Final Target of the dialogue process, which for Kosovo the goal is nothing less than mutual recognition.

For his part, Minister Grliić Radman praised traditionally friendly relations between Croatia and Kosovo, and expressed his commitment to strengthening reports between the two states.

“In view of Kosovo's orientation towards the Euro-Atlantic goal, I hope the EU will soon make the decision on visa liberalisation with Kosovo, which will assess the reforms the country has implemented so far and encourage it to continue on the same path”, said Grlic Radman, adding that Croatia will strongly support Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic orientation as well as the country's participation in regional and international organisations.

Minister Haradinaj-Stubla and her Croatian counterpart, Goran Grliić Radman, pledged to address the issue of respective, Croat communities in Kosovo and the Albanian community in Croatia. They also pledged to advance their position in both states.

In the end, Kosovo's top diplomat did not forget to recall even Croatian victims from tragic wars in the former Yugoslavia, and the plague of still unscathed persons, both Kosovo and the Croatian people, and also conveying the feelings of the people of Kosovo, whenever important dates of pain are commemorated, as was the anniversary of the days before the Vukovar massacre”, it is said further at the ministry's announcement.