Thaci: June 27th meeting in Washington, golden opportunity

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said in an interview for the Voice of America, that the meeting warned on 27 June in Washington is a golden opportunity to reach an important agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. In the interview to our correspondent in Pristina, Leonat Shehu, President Thaci said there is no more reliable address for Kosovo than the United States, while dismissing any possibility of discussing border touch.

Voice of America: Mr. President, on June 27th you and the leaders of Serbia have been invited by Ambassador Richard Green to a meeting at the White House. What do you expect from this meeting?

Hashim Thaci: It's a meeting of special importance, we're talking historical, because for the first time, both our countries meet or agreed to meet at the White House. It's an interest that means the highest policy of the United States administration, by President Trump himself, and now we have a very active, dynamic and very energetic commitment. But really with the vision of Ambassador Green. I expect to have a mutual will, to work seriously at reaching an important agreement for the benefit of two countries, our peoples. It is very important that both our countries, both Kosovo and Serbia, have shown their commitment, but also the belief that this process is led by the United States. So it's a golden opportunity to reach an important agreement and the safe future of both countries on both the developmental and the Euro-Atlantic level.

Voice of America: Do you expect an agreement with Serbia to be reached on this date?

Hashim Thaci: We are working seriously as Kosovo institutions. We go with the will to make progress, substantial progress in the approach we claim to work on. We have full confidence in Ambassador Green's commitment, and now the entire United States administration team will be deployed. On the other hand, I think it's a possibility that neither side wants to lose, because a negative approach that can be presented there will naturally be at a price, and Kosovo is unwilling to pay the price, but is willing to seize the possibility of reaching an important agreement for the consolidation of the state on the domestic and international plains.

Voice of America: Mr. President, what are those red lines of saying Kosovo at this meeting?

Hashim Thaci: I think that we should first be guided by what we intend to achieve, and what we intend to achieve is full respect for the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, respect for all that we have accomplished - freedom, independence, sovereignty, and on the other hand by respecting international principles and standards but also good neighborhood. To administer things that affect both countries for the good of our people and citizens. So I think things are going in the right direction for reaching agreement on June 27th. So I am optimistic that the deal can be reached, although it will be extremely difficult.

Voice of America: What deal are you talking about, Mr. President?

Hashim Thaci: We have to prepare for the goal that we have, an agreement that brings good for our people, that changes development approach, that brings investment to Kosovo, that ensures and guarantees the rights of all citizens of the country in the most likely sense, that opens up prospects for Kosovo to be part of the near future of NATO and the European Union, but also a seat in the United Nations Organization. I think that no better address, better shot, more accurate and reliable, is for Kosovo than Washington, the United States of America. Like Kosovo, we have always asked that the negotiating table be the United States of America, while now not only are they on the table, but they are also leaders of this process, so our confidence is that things will go towards the possibility of reaching an agreement in this process that is led by the US.

Voice of America: Is the agreement also talking about the issue of mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia?

Hashim Thaci: Our primary goal is to have at the end of the process mutual recognition and membership of Kosovo in the United Nations Organisation and all international organisations.

Voice of America: When you say "at the end of the process," do you think on this June 27th or other date?

Hashim Thaci: I cannot talk about dates, weeks or months but the process begins on June 27th, while how further steps will be met on the established reality, starting on June 27th.

Voice of America: Serbia's president said there will be no recognition of Kosovo in Washington. With such attitudes why is the meeting being held?

Hashim Thaci: We hold negotiations now eleven years in Brussels, negotiations that have been far from easy, but also results in the sense of improving the situation in the north and putting control by the state of Kosovo in that part of the country and the integration of the Serb community into the country's institutions. Now is the time to move towards the final, the moment that mutual recognition will take place, of course each side goes by measuring the pulse and position of the other side, but what I mean is that Serbia has always promoted that there will be no freedom for Kosovo, no independence, but Serbia already knows that Kosovo is both free and independent and should be joined by the United Nations Organization and that good peace and neighbourly relations is vital for both countries, not only for Kosovo but for Serbia.

Voice of America: Do you expect this process started by Ambassador Green to end in September?

Hashim Thaci: I'm afraid I can't talk about a certain period of time, but I speak in hopes that despite the great difficulties, perhaps beyond the reach of the process, I am confident that the solution can be found in Washington for reaching final agreement by Ambassador Green and his team.

Voice of America: Ambassador Grenelli warned that, I am quoting “if each side remains dissatisfied with the discussions on June 27th, they will return to wagetitus kuoʹ after leaving Washington. Does that mean you'll stay in Washington until a deal?

Hashim Thaci: What does the status quo mean? On my part it means regras, no development, no foreign investors' arrival, no increasing social welfare in the country, increasing the number of unemployment, no membership of Kosovo in international organisations, other international non-recognition means going back to Kosovo if the status quo continues, but at the same time will also be a regrance for the Serb side. So if no deal is reached on June 27th, Kosovo and Serbia will be losers. If agreement is reached, both sides will be winners, and with this they gain Euro-Atlantic values and, of course, the commitment of the United States of America is shown correctly in the determination to reach an agreement between countries and hostile peoples now more than a century and this miracle of the agreement I believe that only the United States, the leader of President Trump, and the dedication that Ambassador Green is showing.

Voice of America: What do you expect Kosovo to gain from this agreement?

Hashim Thaci: Kosovo expects to benefit on all plains, I expect to win on the economic plains, on the plains of internal, neighbourly consolidation in the region, opening up the perspective as close as possible NATO and at the same time the prospect for membership in the United Nations Organisation.

Voice of America: Is this expected to bring normalisation of relations with Serbia or recognition?

Hashim Thaci: It must be realized that this whole process is not a matter of a decision but of a commitment we should show in the weeks and months to come.

Voice of America: These days the issue of the borders or what you have described as correcting the borders has been re-opened. Will this be on the table in Washington?

Hashim Thaci: Concern about the Washington meeting expresses those who are not in the courses, any ignorant and on the other hand any evil of the process. In the final phase, the Constitution of Kosovo will be respected, its territorial integrity, the sovereignty of Kosovo, so there is no need for any concern, but I invite everyone not to create panic, confusion and not present false news.

Voice of America: So there won't be any subject including border demarcation?

Hashim Thaci: No one has asked such cases to be opened by the United States of America to be discussed by the Kosovo side. Of course, with mutual recognition there will be demarcation of the border as has happened in Kosovo, as with Montenegro and Macedonia, because we will be two independent and sovereign countries in the neighbourhood that should also define the border issue in the sense of technical experts after the agreement.

Voice of America: Mr. President, if an agreement is reached on June 27th, should the same be received by the Kosovo Parliament?

Hashim Thaci: Of course, any agreement reached in Washington or elsewhere should be passed through a process of civic legitimacy through their representatives in the Kosovo Assembly or even the possibility of any kind of referendum.

Voice of America: At the same time that American commitment has been increased, the European Union's envoy for Kosovo-Serbia talks, Miroslav Lajcak, is staying in Kosovo. There are already two initiatives, one coming from the United States and the other from the European Union. How should and how will Kosovo operate in these separate processes?

Hashim Thaci: They're not separate. They have a goal; the closure of a commitment now of more than three decades of the Kosovo-Serbia conflict. Kosovo's future is European future. I met with Mr. Lajcak yesterday, it is important that the European Union remain unique in relation to Kosovo and the Western Balkans. It is unfortunate that the European Union is failing with Kosovo, especially with the visa liberalisation issue that, in fact, despite implementation of all criteria on the Kosovo side, it continues its failure for Kosovo and extremely unnecessary isolation while I have stressed it and reconfirmed it; first, visa liberalisation by the European Union must occur then work on the process of mutual dialogue and recognition. But what I want to point at the same time is that I think that both processes will meet each other but the United States is a step forward, are clearer, more precise, faster, more precise and more determined to reach this agreement.

Voice of America: When does the European Union intend to call a meeting between Kosovo and Serbia?

Hashim Thaci: I don't know, but I don't think they do.

Voice of America: Were there not warnings of such a thing yesterday?

Hashim Thaci: The meeting has been correct, constructive yesterday, we have discussed more procedural, methodological and other aspects of the future of the process than of substantial issues.

Voice of America: With all the warnings you met Mr. Lajcak. Why did you change your mind?

Hashim Thaci: I cannot help but meet people who come on behalf of the European Union with all my scepticism in particular in terms of European non-visitation for visa liberalisation and for the political process and I have clearly pointed out Lajcak that we should be very careful not to get involved in a process he claims to move to that point that doesn't spoil Serbia's mood. We go into the process from anyone who is guided, only with the goal of independent, sovereign Kosovo, respecting its territorial integrity and in no circumstances just aiming to take place a process without knowing the end and having a clear substance. So yesterday was the first meeting to be seen in the coming days and weeks. In the third week of July, the summit in Paris is expected, but all of this happens after the Washington meeting, so the Washington meeting can change everything at this time and these developments that are happening, so I don't see the race between Washington and Brussels but I see something that can meet and I am convinced that the success that will take place in Washington, the European Union should find the courage to welcome and welcome.

Voice of America: You mentioned the Paris summit for July, from whom will it cool?

Hashim Thaci: What we are already informed of and of course discussed with President Macron's office, but even earlier with President Macro himself, France is expected to be welcoming the summit between Kosovo and Serbia in the third week of July.

Voice of America: Do you expect something concrete from the European Union?

Hashim Thaci: concretely I expect visa liberalisation, while other aspects are all efforts which can result in success in the future, but to say, the European Union has violated citizens' trust in Kosovo and that is bad, because we have only one future, the European future.