Albanian-American Activists: Washington's second chance of meeting should not be ignored

The announcement has been welcomed by some Albanian-American community activists, while other community figures think Kosovo is not prepared for productive talks at the moment and in its interest.

The White House has opened the green light to host the Kosovo and Serbian delegations at a new meeting, following the failure of plans for the 27 June talks. In talks last week with Ambassador Green, Albanian-American activists say he made it clear that this possibility should not be abused.

“E expressed a type of frustration. There was a fear that America as a state could be frustrated with the process; that he could be given other tasks, arguing that the parties are not ready for agreement. After we made the meeting with the group the next day he had the meeting with President Trump, where he asked for them and the president gave the green light to continue with the process, as a last chance, I can say,” says Martin Vulaj, former director of the Albanian-American National Council.

The focus of the meeting, as before, remains on economic topics, but Mr. Voulaj believes these talks create new energy he sees as a step towards a political solution.

Pan-Albanian Association Chairman Elmi Berisha believes numerous talks with European mediation have made it clear that the United States remains the only factor to ensure a solution in Kosovo's favour.

The full realisation and mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia are not made by Europe, neither today, nor tomorrow, nor again. I think that the issue of Kosovo and Serbia is finally carried out only through the United States of America, and we must strongly seek not to neglect”, says Mr. Berisha.

Kosovo is at a critical moment, in the views of many analysts. Mr Vulaj says that the act of days being presented to the Special Court is at risk of staining not only the Kosovo war, but the entire Albanian issue:

If 11 UCK leaders are charged, the whole world will see it as The UCK is charged and if the UCK is charged, Kosovo is charged and therefore Albanian is also charged. There is a barrier between the aggressor and the victim... In that case, without America's support, in the hands of Europe, I see dark things not only for Kosovo, but also for our nation”, says Mr. Voulaj.

Activist Richard Lukaj shares concern with Mr. Voulaj. He sees in the latest charges a crowning of Serbia's efforts to label Kosovo as the failed “states” and to undermine a solution to final status. This reality, says Mr. Lukaj, is further complicated by the heavy political situation in the country.

Could not have been a political reality that the people of Kosovo today are not satisfied with the reality of politics in Kosovo, today there would have been demonstrations in Pristina against these actions. But from such a deep level of discontent, we are in a situation where people are accepting something that we all know is not good for us”, says Mr. Lukaj.

The activist welcomes the United States' interest in resolving the Kosovo issue. But he says preparations for the meeting raise many questions and dilemmas.

“Someone has to go out in transparency before meetings are held and says: These are the themes that we've accepted, these things we're going to do and we're going to come up with an acceptable outcome. Otherwise, the representatives, whoever they are, will be found in a position that will be imposed on them a result that they will either accept or have problems, because if they refuse, they will say "No," that is difficult for any politician in the region, or if they accept it, they will face their own people to explain how they turned out in this very harmful situation”, says Mr. Lukaj.

Mr. Lukaj recalls that Kosovo happens to them a few years ago before an imposed election, with the establishment of the Special Court. He cautions that no timetables should be set, or objectives, at a time when political co-ordination is lacking within the country.

“requires an investment by the Kosovo team to have a preparation and support from the Kosovo people who will endure what will come out. At the moment we are very politically divided, and, in my opinion, the first step for Kosovo's benefit is to unify the political parties”, says Mr. Lukaj.

Activist Martin Vulaj echoes these concerns for internal developments in Kosovo, but he believes America's support will be the stabilising factor in these uncertain times.

The reason to believe in the process is because America is interested and (this issue) is being handled to the highest levels. Instead of being at the State Department's work table, it's on the table of President”, says Mr. Vulaj.

These U.S. administration efforts, adds Mr. Voulaj, are made only for the interest of inter-partial parties, opposing speculation that the Trump administration sees on this open issue in the Balkans the possibility of a diplomatic victory that will serve in the election:

This is almost ridiculous. The Kosovo issue is nowhere on the horizon of the campaign and public attention in America. I don't believe that it would in any way have affected the best possible agreement, not then the current situation”, he says.

It remains unclear whether and when the White House meeting will take place and what will come out of it. / VOA