Policy Agreement on Dialogue: Ideas for Kosovo's accession, but not even recognition by Serbia

US officials have shown a more flexible approach to the issue of the final settlement of the Kosovo-Serbia dispute, assess connoisseurs of political issues in Kosovo, Donika Emini and Agon Maliqi.

The reciprocal recognition between Kosovo and Serbia as an ideal “resolution to normalisation of relations between the two countries has mentioned US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, sent simultaneously to the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar.

During a testimony to the House of Representatives for Europe, Energy and Environment sub-committee, Escobar diplomat has cited the importance of continuing the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by the EU, saying that the “parties should work to resolve their differences and to normalise relations, ideally through a mutual recognition”.

Amy: Escobar formula, unlike the letters of Beden

Donika Emine, executive director of the CaviKos platform, tells Radio Free Europe that in the partisan statements US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Escobar, the main goal of dialogue is integration of both countries into the European Union.

But, says Emine, the mention of bilateral recognition between Kosovo and Serbia, formulated as the ideal “approach to normalising relations, is different from the letters US President Joe Biden has sent to leaders in Kosovo and Serbia, where mutual recognition is cited as the only solution.

However, according to her, mutual recognition, as the only solution and not as the ideal solution, which diplomat Escobar has said has been removed altogether from the European Union's vocabulary. So far, as she says, it is about accepting Kosovo on the part of Serbia, but not recognition, in a diplomatic sense, between the two countries.

This may be because of Vuciqi's position, but perhaps because of the inability to negotiate with Vucinqi, given his full role in the Balkans, in terms of security. In addition to Kosovo's potential destabilisation, Bosnia's (BiH) destabilisation is an urgent issue, which is also being addressed in EU terms. Then the situation in Montenegro. These show that Serbia, as a factor of destabilisation in the region, has been re-established and is the problem of the international community, especially for the United States of America. So this, perhaps should be an alarm for us in Pristina”, says Amyni.

Maliqi: Ideas for Kosovo's accession, but not even recognition by Serbia

But the other view has political affairs analyst Agon Maliqi. In a conversation with Radio Free Europe, he points out that in US diplomat Gabriel Escobar's statements, there has been nothing different in content, compared to the up-to-date American attitudes about the formation that the outcome of the dialogue should result in mutual recognition of Kosovo-Serbia.

But also flexibility, that mutual recognition would be ideal, had highlighted on some cases earlier, even Matthew. Palmer (former US envoy for the Western Balkans), which also leaves open the possibility that recognition is not. As a possibility, the United States certainly prefers such a solution or is reaching out for it. But I see this kind of flexibility not as new, but also as a kind of intensification of the fact that the US, at the moment, sees no dynamics in the process (of dialogue) and there is no co-ordination between our Government (of Kosovo) and the United States of America about dialogue. It means, there is no co-ordination”, Maliqi points out.

Possible “solutions in package”

The American diplomat Escobar's speech, ahead of the House of Representatives' Under Chamber for Europe, Energy and Environment, was the most focused on problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the entity of Republika Srpska, respectively, and problems in Montenegro.

Also, the questions congressers have asked -- members of this subcommittee -- have been less about Kosovo.

The Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, Milorad Dodik, who comes from Republika Srpska, has requested the transfer of all competencies from the state to entity level, and has said that Republika Srpska will be cut off from Bosnia and Herzegovina if these competencies do not return to entity.

According to political developments' connoisseurs, based on questions and answers laid down on this subcommittee, signals have been sent that problematic issues in the Western Balkan region can be addressed and resolved in packages.

Donika Emine says the impression in Kosovo that the issue of dialogue with Serbia is a priority and that the US will negotiate in the name of Kosovo. But, according to her, this assessment does not stand, because there are other issues in the Western Balkans that currently require urgent access, such as the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the discour of Republika Srpska entity officials, resembles that of the 1990s, when wars were also fought in the former Yugoslavia, but also developments in Montenegro.

She believes that the Kosovo issue and its dialogue with Serbia is not the first priority for the US, in terms of the Western Balkans, perhaps even the fact that it is sharing with the EU. But, says Escobar diplomat Escobar's statements have hinted that for problems in the Western Balkan countries, there could be an approach to solutions in the package.

I think this approach in package to the region could also benefit Kosovo. We can take advantage of this approach and an elevated emergency, especially in terms of security. Otherwise, if there isn't a pro-active American approach, I don't think the EU can do anything right now. On the contrary, the status quo will turn into a worsening situation and the entire Balkans risk returning to the 90” situation, Emini points out.

Interdependence between developments in the region

Agon Maliqi suggests that at the House of Representatives Under-Command hearing for Europe, Energy and Environment, very little has been spoken about Kosovo, it is reflecting the fact that, he says, there is no common dynamic of the Government of Kosovo with the US about the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process.

For more, according to him, due to the dynamics of developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it has been one of the topics that have dominated the subcommittee session.

But, absolutely, there has always been interdependence between developments in the region. I think that Kosovo could be reactivated as the topic with the coming of Ambassador (Christopher) Hill to Belgrade, which, possibly, could play a more leading role in that process (of dialogue) from his position in Belgrade. But, possibly, since the end of this year and the beginning of next year, a new dynamism in the region is inevitable, with different appointments”.

So we have Mr. Palmer handling reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Mr. Hill, who will probably play a role in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue from Belgrade. But we also have Mr. James O'Brien, as the leader of the sanctions division, which was cited as being used not only for corruption but also for obstructing the regional peace agreement”, Maliqi says.

Recognitions of political developments estimate that developments on the ground, especially as those seen in recent months in northern Kosovo, but also any escalation of the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, could give impetus and urgency to diplomatic processes.