9 hours agoBolton: Trump administration must find permanent, acceptable agreement for Kosovo, Serbia
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Former National Security adviser John Bolton, who had worked at the White House next to then President Donald J. Trump, has said it is difficult to know whether the Western Balkan region will be the priority at the beginning of the Trump II Administration. However, it adds that this region should be the focus of [...]
However, he adds that this region should be the focus of the White House because it is important to the US and Europe's security.
Bolton has said it is very important that the new administration is really serious to find ways towards reaching a permanent agreement, in contrast to foreigners who have no interest in peace and stability in the region will interfere, and what is currently complicated can get worse.
I think that depends partly on who will take responsibility. If it's Grantell, because of his previous involvement, I think he'll give him priority. My view has always been that, after all, in the Serbia-Kosovo dispute, whatever the final decision is, it should be acceptable to both sides. There will be no outside-bound solution. And if there were, the risk would be too great for it not to last”.
I know that many people in the region don't like the idea of exchanging territories. They say that once you start doing this, there would be no end. That would bring instability. My view has been that we are not talking about border changes anywhere except when border sharing parties agree. The idea that there should be an exchange of territories inclines to one side, the idea that there can never be an exchange of territories tilts in favor of the other side. I think this is the kind of negotiations a foreigner can help to facilitate, can make compromise proposals, but in reality it is something that requires the highest levels of Kosovo and Serbia in a private room to see whether leaders can solve. And then they can go through their constitutional processes, so that if Parliament should approve, there will be a majority for it”, Bolton told Express.
“From my limited involvement, leaders may have been close to an agreement, but their parliaments, at least in Kosovo's case, were not ready to move forward. This is not a sustainable solution, and although it is disappointing, I think it is worth trying to see if there is a way to find a lasting solution. Because accepting another temporary solution simply opens up the possibility for more conflict”.
And, to the extent that there is political uncertainty in the Western Balkans, this hinders foreign economic investment. It makes EU and NATO entry more difficult. Nobody underestimates the difficulty of this, but I think the benefit for all Serbia, Kosovo and the region in it
