Former ambassador to Turkey: Opening embassy in Jerusalem does not do international damage

Former Kosovo Ambassador to the US and Turkey Avni Spahiu does not see any problem with Kosovo opening embassys in Jerusalem, as, according to him, Kosovo's strategic partner, the United States.

Spahiu says Israel's recognition, as well as the initiative for opening Kosovo's embassy in Jerusalem, could cause reactions from various states of the world, but does not produce damage to international relations.

Former Spahiu diplomat believes that in these actions, Kosovo has the support of the United States of America that the first recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017.

I don't think this is a reason for this to lead to an extreme frustration of reports with our friends (Turkey and Arab states), with friendly countries that have recognised Kosovo. This is a bilateral issue between Israel and Kosovo, and in this respect it would have to be a matter only for both countries”, Spahiu says of Radio Free Europe.

News of mutual recognition and establishment of diplomatic relations between Kosovo and Israel became public on September 4th in the Oval Office by US President Donald Trump.

That happened after Kosovo and Serbia signed a document pledging economic normalisation.

US President Donald Trump, Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, during the signing of the White House agreement, September 4, 2020

In addition to Kosovo, US President Donald Trump indicated that Serbia will also move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Political Science Professor at the University of Pristina, Bekim Baliqi, says that the fact that Serbia is also moving embassy to Jerusalem minimizes the prospects for a diplomatic crisis for Kosovo.

“I think Israel's recognition has been conditioned in one way or another with the establishment of the embassy in Jerusalem. The fact that Serbia will do it too, I think it probably exceeds a diplomatic crisis that Kosovo could in this case”, Bali says.

Thaci: Israel's recognition won't affect partnership with Turkey

Kosovo's initiative to open the embassy in Jerusalem prompted Turkish state responses.

Turkey's embassy in Pristina said that the deployment of the Kosovo Embassy in Jerusalem is contrary to international law.

But, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, at a press conference Monday, has confirmed there has been telephone conversations with Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan on the issue.

Thaci said Kosovo's move risks no friendship with Turkey in any form.

“The concern we have received from President Erdogan in terms of mutual recognition of Israel and Kosovo, I am in contact with President Erdogan, I have discussed the phone and this Israeli recognition -Kosovo will not violate strategic and friendly, brotherly partnership with Turkey”, Thaci said.

The pledges of Kosovo and Serbia to open embassies in Jerusalem have also criticised the European Union.

Peter Stano, the EU's spokesperson for foreign policy and security, at a press conference at the European Commission headquarters has said the EU expresses “concern and serious regret” about this.

No embassy of any EU country is in Jerusalem. The EU delegation office in Israel is not in Jerusalem” either, the EU spokesman has said.

But, asked for the European Union's response, Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, said Israel's recognition is an important step of consolidating Kosovo's citizenship in the international arena.

“We have received a pledge and will move ahead of”, Prime Minister Hoti said about opening the embassy in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Pristina University Political Science Professor Bekim Baliqi believes reconciliation for economic normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia, as well as Israel's recognition, can bring new recognition to Kosovo.

This would pave the way for new recognitions, recognitions perhaps of states that have hesitated but have not so opposed Kosovo's independence. Israel has been among those states that have not opposed Kosovo's independence, but there have been hesitations, especially because of the failure to break up reports with Serbia. But now, since Serbia is also moving the embassy to Jerusalem, there may be states that reconsider recognition of the state of Kosovo”, Bali says.

USA, unlike Allies

At the end of 2017, US President Donald Trump announced his government's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

With that, the US decided to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

The US action prompted numerous international reactions, as most world powers do not recognise Israel's sovereignty over all Jerusalem and say its final status should be decided through peace negotiations in the Middle East.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ongoing conflict that started decades ago.

There have been numerous efforts to solve the problem peaceably, but the conflict is present today.