Silence from the Kurti Government over US's request for a prioritization on recognitions

This mortorium provided a halt to Serbia's campaign to remove Kosovo state recognitions, as well as a ban on Kosovo's application for membership in international organisations.

The U.S. State Department's request revealed a spokesperson The UN for Voice of America on Friday (September 3rd), a day before the mortorium, as well as Washington's agreement, marked the anniversary.

Free Europe Radio has tried to get a comment on the issue from the Government of Kosovo since Friday, but has not received answers.

There was no statement about it right now from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora.

However, the day before the U.S. State Department came up with a request to continue the mortorium for Radio Free Europe, this ministry said it could not provide details regarding the preparation of applications for international organisations.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, the sensitive “nature of this subject makes it impossible to publish concrete circumstances without jeopardising the country's strategic interests”.

US demand, but also the question of what concrete actions will be after completing the mortorium deadline, have not been commented on by the Government of Serbia.

On the other side of Brussels, they have said they do not comment on “bilateral agreements between Kosovo and Serbia and the United States”.

Kosovo insists on membership in international organisations

There have been no statements from either power or opposition for the US's request regarding the mortorium.

On the other hand, analysts consider that more clarity is needed on the part of the US State Department, but also on the part of the Government of Kosovo on this request.

Life Krasniqi from the Kosovo Democratic Institute tells Radio Free Europe that the mortorium has been problematic since the beginning.

Kosovo will appreciate that it should not link the issue of memberships in international organisations and recognition by other states with reports it has with Serbia”, she says.

According to Krasniqi, a mortorium that would expect the resolution of relations with Serbia could last long.

“It is quite clear that the solution with Serbia does not seem to be imminent and Kosovo cannot stop international consolidation or even internal consolidation, expecting Serbia to have readiness to recognise Kosovo”, Krasniqi says.

We remember that last month, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, said that “if someone makes a decision to recognise Kosovo independent state”, Serbia “will immediately launch the campaign for attracting Kosovo recognition”.

The extension of the mortorium could convert Kosovo
Accepting US demand from Kosovo regarding the mortorium could be a good strategic act.

That's what Emir Abrashi of the Association Democracy Plus thinks.

“In the phase in which we are in an unsold diplomacy it would be in Kosovo's favour to wait a little longer and accept this US request to continue the mortorium even for a time”, he says.

According to Abrasch, Kosovo, having a serious lack of diplomatic representation in many countries due to the failure of ambassadors, cannot afford a recognition campaign from Serbia.

Abrashi, however, is sceptical about how much Serbia would accept this US request.

“We need to keep in mind that Serbia only has the campaign ready and does not mean Serbia will continue the mortorium”, he says.

In September last year, Kosovo and Serbia have signed an agreement in Washington, under which Serbia has had to suspend the Kosovo recognition campaign, while Kosovo has had to respect a year-long moratorium not to apply for membership in international organisations.

The Kosovo Assembly on August 6th 2021 has failed to adopt a resolution to implement this agreement.

In recent years Kosovo has applied and aims to become a member of U NESTO, INTERPOL, Council of Europe and other organisations.

Kosovo has declared independence in 2008 and since then there are 117 countries that recognise the state of Kosovo.