Petritsch: I don't see progress in dialogue until 2025, EU, US war prevention priority in the Balkans

Austrian Institute for International Affairs President Wolfgang Petritsch is sceptical that progress will be made in Kosovo- Serbia, even during 2024.

He says this year's early elections in Serbia and regular elections during next year in the European Union and the United States show that there will be concrete progress in dialogue in implementing the Brussels and Ohrid Agreement.

According to him, next year more will focus on preserving peace and security between the two countries and the region as a whole.

Former EU special envoy for Kosovo and former EU chief negotiator in Kosovo peace talks Wolfgang Petritsch in an interview for Kosovo, welcomes the addition of NATO forces in Kosovo to prevent, as he says, incidents such as the September 24th one in Banjska of Zvecan.

He says added caution is needed for nothing to happen at the border between Kosovo and Serbia”.

I'm very skeptical at the moment. I think we should be aware of the fact that in Serbia there are elections, elections are almost time for strong disputes and violation of fundamental democratic rules. So we must be extremely careful now that nothing happens on the border between Kosovo and Serbia.

Therefore, I highly welcome the strengthening of international forces there, and I want to say that it is in some way an irony, you may recall that in 1999, I was negotiating with the US and a Russian representative in Rambouillet for a peace deal, and why Serbia did not sign the agreement at the time was because it did not want to see NATO's international forces in Kosovo.

Now, President Vuciq is saying we need a stronger KFOR. So here, you see that in fact the international community has done something right, now even accepted by Belgrade. We have to ensure a safe environment for people, for citizens, and we need both sides to be determined what they're doing politically and how extremists are being detained there. Unfortunately, we have seen an extremist crash in September of this year, this should never happen again, and I think KFOR is now on alert and will prevent any such incident in the future”, he says.

In this respect, he stresses that there is new determination and extreme vigilance by Americans for security in the region and the focus on implementing obligations in dialogue.

I think the message was very clear on the part of the United States, as well as on the European Union. No more border violence. I just had a meeting last weekend with the US ambassador to Serbia, Mr. Hill, and I had an appointment with Mr. Escobar a few days ago, who came to Vienna and both said there is a new commitment now, and there is an extreme vigilance and we will expect what elections will bring to Serbia, in terms of political results, and then I believe we have to continue the dialogue.

But I have to tell you that the dialogue has been very important and very successful in the first years, unfortunately, in the last 10 years, since 2013, progress has diminished and after elections even in the European Union, that you are certainly aware that they will be held next year, as well as the presidential elections in the United States, which means that 2024 will not have mass progress, I fear 2024 will be to preserve peace and security in the region.

But, it must be used by experts from both sides, from the diplomacy of capitals, diplomatic interventions should be made in order to have preparations, hopefully in 2025, when all elections are over, to have a new commission in Brussels, a new government in Belgrade, and then we hope that 2025 will be a year in which a solution for normalisation of relations can be actually put on paper, signed and agreed to”, he declares.

Speaking of the security situation, Petritsch says the international community has become much more vigilant for the region, while stressing that preventing war in the Balkans is the number one priority for both the EU and the US.

Well, I can clearly tell you that the international community has become much more vigilant and concerned about the security situation. Prevention of war in the Balkans is the number one priority for both Europe and the United States. So, both in the region and in Kosovo, but also in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have strengthened precautionary measures and that means that we, the international community, will make sure nothing of what happened in the past is repeated.

There is no room for another incident like Banjska, that is clear, and I think the warning that a war could erupt; I think Russia is now so committed to defence in Ukraine it will not play an active role. However, you never know what paramilitaries can do, or perhaps other extremists, as in Republika Srpska. This is something we are watching very carefully and I am very confident that we will succeed”, he says.

For Kosova Preiss, President of the Austrian Institute for International Affairs Wolfgang Petritsch also spoke of O summit The SEU, which was held this week in Skopje, North Macedonia.

Well, I mean, I think the facts are well established. It is clear that Russia is the aggressor in this conflict. However, in a political light, there have been several developments in the last 10 to 15 years in relations between Ukraine and Russia, where in particular Ukraine decided to move towards the West, embrace Western values, and embrace Western regulations and regulations, and has decided to apply for membership in the European Union, which is very clearly a major concern for its neighbour, Russia.

So politically I have a sense and an assessment that Moscow was quite concerned over the past two years, but I can also say that we should absolutely rule out the war, and military intervention is a political tool to achieve results. War in Europe has been banned since 1945, the European Union was created as a peace project throughout Europe. And, this is at the same time Europe's weakness, we don't have a permanent army.

But, I think that's the clear message for Russia as well. Listen, you shouldn't use violence, military intervention when it comes to solving issues, go back to the table, use O's location. The SEU in Vienna to discuss how to achieve peace and how to consider Russia's concerns. But, by violating the peaceful approach that Europe represents, Russia must now first stop the war and then we can start negotiations... ”, it concludes.