REL: Sorensen and Haavisto, sole candidates for Lajcak's successor for dialogue

The European Union's high representative (BE) for foreign policy and security, Kaya Kallas, will have to decide these days between the two candidates for Miroslav Lajcak's successor in the post of EU special envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

REL learns that the diplomat from Denmark, Peter Sorensen, and former foreign minister of Finland, Pekka Haavisto, are the only candidates to appear for the role until last Friday, when the deadline for submitting applications expired.

Meanwhile, in the EU, they do not give any details about this and only confirm that the <x0 selection process is under way”.

High Representative Miroslav Lajcak's “Mandate remains in force by the end of January. The selection of his descendants is currently under way and we will give new reports with a time of”, Annita Hyper, EU spokeswoman for foreign policy and security, said.

If the EU wants to make sure there is no vacuum, then the process of appointing the new special envoy for dialogue would have to be closed before the end of this month, when Lajcak would have officially completed his mandate.

But besides the Kalla High Representative's decision to appoint Lajcak's successor, EU member states must also agree. Working groups in the EU Council are dealing with the issue now.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels have told Free Europe Radio that, both candidates, would be considered an appropriate choice, but there are some differences between them.

These sources say that if Kallas decided to have a person with a greater political weight in that post, then former Finland Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto would have priority. Even when Lajcak was elected to this post five years ago, the fact that he had been the foreign minister of a bloc member state was mentioned as the priority.

But, on the other hand, these sources say, if Kallas wants to deal more alone with the process of political dialogue, then Sorensen is considered the most suitable candidate, because he has been working on EU Foreign Rating Service structures (EEAS) for many years and would take on more mediation in technical issues in dialogue.

Diplomatic sources from EU member states estimate Sorensen is slightly more likely than Haavisto.

Who are Peter Sorensen and Pekka Haavisto?

Both Sorensen and Haavisto have experience and knowledge about the Western Balkans.

Peter Sorensen from Denmark has more diplomatic experience in European Union structures than political careers in his country.

In Kosovo, Haavisto has been deputy chairman of “Chief IV” (Rebuilding and Economic Development) of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) from 2002 to 2006, as well as senior adviser to the UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Kosovo from 2001 to 2002.

He has over 15 years of experience in the Western Balkan region.

During his diplomatic career in the EU, Sorensen has served as the EU's special representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and chief of the EU office in Sarajevo, while also being the special representative of the EU high representative in Serbia. Balkan region has also worked on O mission The SEU in Croatia.

He was also chief of the European Union delegation in Skopje.

He is currently an advisor to the EEAS for digital diplomacy.

On the other hand, Pekka Haavisto was Finland's foreign minister. In that quality he had visited both Kosovo and Serbia.

Haavisto has strongly supported the dialogue process and criticised Serbia for lobby against recognising Kosovo's independence, while Kosovo has criticised it when it imposed tariffs on imports of goods from Serbia years ago.

As Finland's foreign minister, Haavisto has been a major supporter of the EU enlargement process and advancing reports with Western Balkan countries.

Haavisto, in the post-war time in Kosovo, has also worked on UNMIK's post-war ecological implications. He has competed three times in the Finland presidential elections. He's always in second position. Haavisto has also been minister of Finland's Environment.

The Role of Special Envoy

EU diplomatic sources say Lajcak's successor is expected only to be the special envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, and to have no other obligations regarding the Western Balkan region.

Lajcak, in his title, also has duties for “other regional issues” besides engagement as facilitator in dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

The name of former president and former prime minister of Slovenia Borut Pahor has been mentioned earlier.

Pahor had confirmed during the summer that he was interested in this post and had the support of the government of his decision. But, he announced on Friday that he would not race for EU special envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, as he has realised more of a diplomatic rather than political level is required.

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is under way with the ease of the European Union for more than 13 years.

The EU continues to insist that the implementation of all agreements reached so far is the obligation for Kosovo and Serbia, and that this remains the condition for their advancement in the European integration process.

Diplomatic sources in the EU say this EU position will not change in the future, no matter who will be facilitating in the dialogue.