26.05.2021 – 17:29
The leaders of the opposition parties in Kosovo have asked the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to involve the United States of America in the dialogue process with Serbia. Albert Krasniqi from Democracy Plus estimates that Washington’s pressure on the parties to reach an eventual agreement may be much greater than from official Brussels.
The President of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, after the meeting he had on Wednesday with Prime Minister Kurti, said that without the participation of the United States, there should be no dialogue with Serbia.
“US participation is undisputed. Without US participation there should be no dialogue. Kosovo appreciates the role of the EU, but necessarily seeks US involvement in the dialogue. This is indisputable “, said Abdixhiku.
Abdixhiku said he had asked Prime Minister Kurti to know the political position of the government on the dialogue process.
“Kosovo should know what is the political position of the Government of Kosovo in the dialogue and we are waiting for what this position is, and we made an offer, where we submitted to the Prime Minister a document on the political position, which we think the Government of Kosovo should this. This document contains principles that the dialogue should protect, which are the discussion on the basis of the ICJ, the protection of territorial integrity, the preservation of the unitary character of Kosovo and the constitutional order “, said Abdixhiku.
Opposition, neither inside nor outside the dialogue
On Tuesday, the chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, asked Kurti for American representation.
“What we are investigating is the lack of presence of the United States in the dialogue, we think that this is a bad situation for Kosovo, it upsets the balance of Kosovo’s interests in the dialogue. It would be very useful for an emissary, a commissioner from the USA, in this case from the (American) president, Joe Biden, to charge someone who represents America in the topic of dialogue “, said Haradinaj.
In the meeting with Prime Minister Kurti, LDK leaders handed him a document with the views of this party regarding the dialogue, demanding that the principles presented in it be respected and that the end result in the dialogue be mutual recognition.
The initiative of Prime Minister Kurti to meet the leaders of the opposition parties has been rejected by the acting chairman of the Democratic Party (PDK), Enver Hoxhaj.
Krasniqi: There is no final agreement without the US
The direct involvement of the United States of America in the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia, can not be done only because this is required by political parties in Kosovo, said for Radio Free Europe, Albert Krasniqi from Democracy Plus.
According to him, the involvement of the United States is necessary in such an important process for Kosovo.
“I do not believe there could be a final agreement without the involvement of the United States,” he said. But, they have chosen a more marginal role, not being directly involved, but at the same time they have always been an active party, even through the requests they have had to the parties in Kosovo or Serbia “, said Krasniqi
Krasniqi said that US pressure could be much greater than it could be from EU countries towards Kosovo and Serbia.
“The trust of citizens, but also of political parties in a US mediation, is greater and is considered to bring a more lasting solution in the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia, while the EU as a partner has gradually begun to lose ground among the supporters in Kosovo, due to the failures they have had so far and the promises that have not been fulfilled in relation to Kosovo “, said Krasniqi.
A meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is expected to take place in June, mediated by the European Union.
Prime Minister Kurti has stated several times that he will not hold meetings in the framework of the EU-mediated dialogue, without consulting the political spectrum in Kosovo.
The dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, mediated by the EU, started in 2011 in Brussels.
