Hyseni: We will see concrete steps of American engagement in Kosovo- Serbia

Kosovo's co-ordinator for talks with Serbia, Skender Hyseni, said Monday in Washington that Pristina sees Washington's role in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue as irreplaceable.

Hyseni, told Voice of America after meetings in the State Department and the White House that he has taken Washington's commitment in this regard. He said dialogue with Serbia should take on a new dynamic and should culminate in mutual recognition.

The dialogue co-ordinator met in Washington with special envoy for the Balkans at the State Department, Matthew Palmer and National Security Council officials.

“has an uncooperative commitment to supporting the dialogue launched in Brussels and a strong support for a comprehensive, fair and sustainable agreement on normalisation of reports between Kosovo and Serbia”, Mr Hyseni said.

Observers say there is a lack of co-ordination between the United States and the EU, in terms of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. But Hyseni said that from meetings in Washington, this impression results in error and that he has been told without any evidence that Washington supports dialogue fully.

We will see concrete steps to key the United States of America in dialogue, along with the European Union”.

In late June, following Kosovo Special Prosecutor's announcement in The Hague on charges against President Hashim Thaci failed plans for a Kosovo-Serbia meeting in Washington.

The White House's special envoy for dialogue, Richard Greenell, said later that the meeting would take place on a future date. Hyseni said he was in contact with Ambassador Green and would have a telephone conversation with him, since he was outside Washington. But he did not mention possible dates.

“We are working closely with the US for the normalisation process to move fast to full reciprocal recognition, like two independent and sovereign states”, he said.

Although Serbia has insisted it will not recognise Kosovo, Hyseni says sometimes things are said in politics that do not necessarily comply with reality, and mutual recognition is an inevitable result.

Otherwise there would be no meaning, otherwise any attempt should be declared and failed because I have deep conviction and adopted this line in Kosovo”.

He said there can be no agreement on specific issues, without a comprehensive, binding and internationally guaranteed agreement.

Asked what Kosovo is willing to offer, he says there is room for solutions without damaging the substance, but in the circumstances of mutual recognition.

When it forms equality from a completely equal position, Kosovo and Serbia can solve all problems”.

Hyseni dismissed rumours that have voiced concern that the talks are threatening to slide to the technical level.

“Mes Republic of Kosovo and Serbia, there is nothing technical until mutual recognition ends. Everything is extremely political. Everything carries an acute political dimension and that political dimension, should be addressed and chosen exclusively in a comprehensive agreement, meaning mutual recognition among these countries”, he said.

Hyseni's appointment to the co-ordinator's position sparked debate among the ruling coalition partners in Kosovo and was accompanied by criticism, under which the Democratic League of Kosovo, “was privatising talks”.

He flatly denied the notion that the LDK aims to privatise these talks and that this issue cannot move forward without a high-scale consensus within political forces in Kosovo.

“I will continue to insist that in this process all are present, I have contacted every single political leader and will continue to insist on my position as dialogue co-ordinator, that a body of equals be created”, he said. /Vosa/