German expert: Kosovo Must Join NATO

Balkan expert at the Leibniz Institute for Eastern and Southeast European Studies in Regensburg, Konrad Clewing, warns against making the same mistakes as Ukraine

Historian Konrad Clewing is an expert on the Balkans at the Leibniz Institute in Eastern and Southeast Europe in Regensburg

In an interview given Deutsche Welle, Clewing says that, in short term, I do not see a particular threat because NATO-led KFOR can stabilise the situation at the moment. But I see a major problem in the fact that the description of KFOR's mission, which stems from a UN resolution in 1999, does not include any protection of Kosovo's foreign security. The main task is to create a peaceful environment and freedom of movement within Kosovo. But in the long term, these two points are not enough to resolve the situation of the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo. And that is why a well-advised and sustainable solution should be found to ensure Kosovo's external security. And I see this only in the prospect of Kosovo's NATO membership.

“In my opinion, the dialogue co-ordinated by the EU between Serbia and Kosovo is not the right move to resolve this dispute long-term. Because this is a matter of security policy. Does Serbia have the right to deny or fight the existence of the state of Kosovo, to do border controls and to demand that its citizens, Kosovo citizens respectively, accept and use documents from Kosovo, at least for their needs in relations with the state of Kosovo. And I think this request is neither unrealistic nor wrong”, Clewing said.

“Unlike NATO, the EU does not provide a security system for its members. In my opinion, the dialogue co-ordinated by the EU between Serbia and Kosovo is not the right move to resolve this dispute long-term. Because this is a matter of security policy. Does Serbia have the right to deny or fight the existence of the state of Kosovo, to do border controls and to demand that its citizens, Kosovo citizens respectively, accept and use documents from Kosovo, at least for their needs in relations with the state of Kosovo. And I think this request is neither unrealistic nor wrong”, has added Clewing.

Among other things, he has stressed that, it was a major media topic that Kosovo was allegedly preparing to expel Kosovo Serbs on August 1st. This is in fact a gross charge and also shows that Serbia should not really be treated as a normal democratic state in its domestic and external propaganda and in its media control, but there are many similarities with Russia in terms of the preparation of opinion and operates with lies. This promotes panic in Kosovo Serbs and uses them to make them more obedient to the government. This weekend's situation should indeed be a warning sign for the German government not to turn back on those old risk-taking lines.

“Germania and the West as a whole are caught by some kind of opinion I wish that Serbia's claims revisionist towards Kosovo in this case should not be taken very seriously in Russia's next case against Ukraine. The West thinks that in the worst case may happen to conquer small territories, such as the Crimea case in Ukraine, or as is northern Kosovo in Kosovo. And right on this west base has always given Serbia a central role in the Balkans. I think this policy is naive and should urgently be changed” it added.

Finally, the renowned historian has stressed that, in my scenario, Kosovo would go straight NATO and would have security guarantees on Serbia. And under these circumstances there will no longer be a need for Serbia to formally recognise Kosovo, because it cannot do anything that would endanger the existence of the state of Kosovo. And when the prospect of Western Balkan membership in the EU becomes sound, I don't think Serbia will have any more interest in heading towards Russia, Clewing has said. / DW/