Is the association a condition for the KiE and what else could be required by May? What Gerald Knaus Says

Gerald Knaus, from the European Initiative for Stability, says about Radio Free Europe that conditions for Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe should be linked only to the European Convention for Human Rights and to the Council of Europe standards, “not to other things, such as dialogue with Serbia”.

Knaus é whose organisation has recently published a document on Kosovo's road to the Council of Europe é says the formation of the Association of Serb majority municipalities cannot be a condition, because “does not depend solely on Kosovo, depends on Serbia”.

US envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar in an interview given REL on March 15th, suggested that association and the issue of some expropriations to the north of Kosovo could be drawn as additional conditions by several European states. Radio Free Europe: Mr. Knaus, your European Initiative for Stability recently published a document on Kosovo's road to the Council of Europe. We know that the issue of the Decani Monastery's land was the main condition for Kosovo to move forward on the road to membership in this organisation. Are there other conditions?

Gerald Knaus: Take a look at the different stages. There are three stages Kosovo must pass. The first is the recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's Committee for Political Affairs. The meeting will be held at the end of March. For this, we know that conditions have been met, because the reporting report [for Kosovo], Dora Bakoyannis, will be discussed. Although it will be an extraordinary session, it will be held on the week of the [Filish] festival, and the challenge will be people's arrival. But I am convinced that if there are enough people, voting will be positive.

This will then be passed to the Parliamentary Assembly in April. Even there, if the Committee recommends that Kosovo should be a member, which I think will happen then the Parliamentary Assembly will also recommend that Kosovo be a member.

The [Kosovo Government's] decision to implement the Constitutional Court's decision on the land of the Decani Monastery opened the door to future steps and, then, will depend on governments in May. For that, we and Kosovo should seek support.

We know there are scepticism, but with strong recommendations and strong statements from the Parliamentary Assembly and politicians across Europe, that conditions should be only related to the European Convention for Human Rights and the Council of Europe standards, not other things, such as dialogue with Serbia, which does not relate to the European Convention of Human Rights... if this is the line followed by member states, then I hope there will be a positive vote in May.

It will not be easy, there will have to be efforts to obey, but it is a great opportunity for Kosovo to explain to governments throughout Europe what it has accomplished when it comes to democracy, rule of law and minority rights, and what it plans to achieve in the coming weeks and months to improve respect for human rights.

So it could be an opportunity for a positive message and if it works and Kosovo joins the Council of Europe this year, it would be a triumph for Kosovo's foreign policy perhaps the largest since the declaration of independence in 2008.

Radio Free EuropeBut there have been some reactions at the weekend, especially from German lawmakers, against US envoy Gabriel Escobar's statements on the Western Balkans, that two new conditions for Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe and association are being suggested in the north...

Gerald Knaus: Interestingly, it was not only the Germans who reacted as did the Swedes, Austrians, and others. But in Germany there were all parties, the Liberals, the Greens, the Democristians, the Social Democrats... The message from all those members was very clear: The conditions will not be decided by a country that is not a member of the Council of Europe. The US is not a member of the Council of Europe and cannot be a member of the Council of Europe because it has the death penalty it does not meet the conditions.

The Council of Europe is an independent institution, has already 46 members, has clear standards and parliamentarians will not be affected by conditions that are not related to the European Convention for Human Rights. Parliamentarians have made their stand very clear.

Radio Free Europe: So, the conditions Escobar has mentioned, including the formation of the Association of Serb majority municipalities, are not in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly report on Kosovo?

Gerald Knaus: We have seen the report and the condition of association is described as desirable. Kosovo has acknowledged it is something it is confidentially negotiating for. But it cannot be a prerequisite for accession [to the Council of Europe], because it does not depend only on Kosovo, it depends on Serbia. And, Serbia has made it very clear that it does not want Kosovo to be a member of the Council of Europe.

To be said that this is the precondition for Kosovo to join the Council of Europe, and it depends on the agreement with Serbia, while Serbia wants to block Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe itself. That's not how it works.

Minority rights are a condition of the Council of Europe, but the way in which minority rights are guaranteed, mechanization... stands out in all 46 member states. There is no similar association as required in any other member state. So it would be strange, if not unfair, if this is set as a condition. From my conversations with many parliamentarians, I have the impression that they too see it this way.

Radio Free Europe: But can new conditions arise until April until May?

Gerald Knaus: The important thing for Kosovo now is to show that it is determined to improve human rights even more. My advice to the Government of Kosovo is to think about what it can do when it comes to non-discrimination, gender equality, LGBT community rights, minority rights whether Roma or Serbian rule of law...

For all of this, it would be good for Kosovo to make clear what it has achieved so far and what it intends to do. But there should be no outside conditions.

*Video from archive: What would Kosovo benefit if he became a member of the Council of Europe?

Radio Free Europe: Considering the need to support two-thirds of the 46 Council of Europe member states, what challenges does Kosovo face in membership?

Gerald KnausI think one of the biggest challenges is to present myself well. I think this is a good chance for Kosovo diplomacy to visit capitals in Europe and underline how it aims to contribute Kosovo and how the Council of Europe can help Kosovo itself.

It's the 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe. It was founded in 1949 in London and Kosovo is now the only democracy in Europe that is not a member. It would be a fine opportunity for both the Council of Europe and Kosovo to membership in this year.

Radio Free Europe: How can Serbia's lobby decision-making affect it?

Gerald Knaus: It is now clear, Serbian officials, including the ambassador to Strasbourg, have said they are opposed. [Serbia's President Aleksandar] Vucin said it was against this is no surprise.

The only question for the Council of Europe members is what logic they will follow. If logic is protection of minority rights, including the Serb minority in Kosovo, then Kosovo should be a member, because the European Court of Human Rights and all mechanisms of the Council of Europe will strengthen human rights.

If you really care about minorities in Kosovo, then you must support Kosovo to join the Council of Europe this year.