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Thaci’s message to Serbia

Marija Stojanovic of Belgrade daily Danas has kindly provided permission for me to publish in English this interview with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, which appeared today:

WE WILL NOT ALLOW CREATION OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA IN KOSOVO

Thaci: “We are in a critical period of dialogue between our two countries. As leadership responsible to well-being of our children, I think both President Vucic and myself are keen not to allow for past to block our future or to threaten peace in our region in five or fifty years.

I have entered politics at a very young age, as a student leader and I always said I have three political aims: firstly to liberate Kosovo from the Serbian military and police occupation; secondly to make Kosovo an independent and sovereign republic and thirdly to ensure we become equal members of NATO and EU” – has stated for Danas Kosovo President Hasim Taci, discussing about Brussels negotiations with Serbian President Aleksander Vucic on solution of Kosovo question. 

Both Presidents of Kosovo and Serbia have in recent weeks started talking about a border demarcation or adjustment. Both of you have also indicated that the final agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, will be painful. Yet, public knows very little about the progress in your dialogue in Brussels, or event the framework of any such agreement. Can you tell us more about the expectations you have about the final agreement? 

–           Kosovo is already a moral and political victor because our people are free. They live in a free country, recognized by overwhelming number of UN members. But we now must move rapidly towards locking our place in NATO and UN. Dialogue with Serbia, regional cooperation and reconciliation are crucial conditions for this aim.

I am not talking to Belgrade because of some sort of nostalgia. I don’t suffer from Yugo-nostalgia like some do. Nor do I talk to Belgrade because I like spending time in corridors of Brussels, eating cold sandwiches until late hours of evening. No – I’m talking to Vucic and I’m keen to find a solution because I want to see us in NATO and EU, sooner rather than later. I’ll be very honest, I don’t think we will get there until we have undisputed and unquestioned border between two countries. We have to have a fully agreed border demarcation, so we don’t leave some open issues to become point of dispute in the future.

My aim is not some ethnic partition, nor is [it] creation of a second Republika Srpska in our territory – heaven forbid – my aim is to settle the 400km of border and that process may require creative solutions that will provide peace now and in the future.

Yet, you have stated recently that you want to help Presevo valley Albanians join Kosovo as part of this dialogue? Why open this issue now? Never before has this issue been opened in Brussels? Do you think Belgrade will allow to give territory without getting something substantive back?

–           Presevo valley, people of these three municipalities have already expressed their desires and their political aims in a referendum in 1992. It’s clear that any border demarcation between two countries will matter to these families and these citizens. Their interests must be respected and taken into account. There is an old saying: “if there is a will, there is a way.” Well, I believe that if there is a will among leadership in Kosovo and Serbia to find creative solutions, we will find a way to accommodate people in these border regions to feel safe, secure and with economic and political future secured. Both Serbs in north Kosovo as well as Albanians in Presevo valley care most about jobs and economy. Who will invest in our countries if we have open border questions lingering for decades? How will we prevent our young people to leave if they have to face discrimination or fear every 10 years or every 20 years?

Mr President, if we may insist, we are still missing concrete descriptions of solutions? Are you and Vucic speaking on top of maps, with coordinates of the villages and borders like in Dayton or what is the process happening now?

–           Rest assured, last thing in my mind is Dayton. I have declared independence of Kosovo as a sovereign, secular and civic republic. Civic it shall remain. Maps will not define the destiny of people. People will define destiny of maps. Former Yugoslavia has been dissolved and there are seven states that were created from that bloody process that was initiated solely in Belgrade – when people in some circles in Belgrade started obsessing with maps and memorandums. That obsession with maps brought mayhem and genocide.

The final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia will be European agreement. It will be endorsed by both Brussels and Washington. And it will be finalized with a new UN resolution in UNSC, to open EU perspective for both Kosovo and Serbia. Either this will be a European solution with EU and US support or there will be no deal.

What happens if there is no deal? Many people both in Serbia but also in Kosovo, have stated that it’s better to keep status-quo? Will there be violence?

–           Status-quo is a long-term invitation for trouble. Criminals, populists, nationalists, third parties from outside our region – they are seeking status-quo to operate and to undermine Europe, NATO and overall Western establishment. Balkans is secure today, we even had some progress, like the fantastic deal between Greece and Macedonia as well as Montenegro accession to NATO; but we can’t stop without finalizing all open bilateral issues.

I don’t fear violence today. I’m worried by the propaganda in Belgrade that some sort of plan is being prepared by Kosovo police or army to enter into war, or “take over north”. This is stupid and dangerous. Kosovo police and Kosovo army are trained by NATO, by EU and they are respectful of Euro-Atlantic values. But if we don’t solve the relationships now, we are wasting the opportunity for another generation or two to have normal life.

Why to postpone solution, if both sides are ready to close painful chapter of past? Why to leave our children hostages of mythical, historic dreams? It’s clear that Kosovo and Serbia are separate countries. But it’s also clear that they are neighbors that must talk and resolve open disputes.

Do EU and US support your stance? There are mixed signals coming from EU capitals. London and Berlin have been vocal against border adjustments. Washington is staying silent. Moscow is following carefully.

–           We are having in dialogue in Brussels and there are always representatives of US government in all stages of dialogue so both EU and US support a mutual agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, there is no doubt about it.

I could say that we have lacked [a] bit of focus – especially from Brussels – but the world is a difficult place and it’s becoming more difficult. I don’t have illusions like some people do, thinking we are center of the world and everyone has to listen to our wishes and our demands. No, we have a very narrow window of opportunity and very little bandwidth in major capitals to deal with Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. So we must use this opportunity while there is time and willingness with our allies to close the deal and support the final deal.

What will happen to southern Serbs in Kosovo if there is border adjustment? Many people fear exodus like in “Oluja” in Croatia?

–           This is an orchestrated propaganda. No one will touch dear Serbs in south, north, west or east of Kosovo. There was also propaganda when we declared independence in 2008, that Serbs will leave in tractors but they didn’t. They stayed in Kosovo, and they even participated in the creation of Kosovo institutions, police, parliament, constitutional court.

Serbs are today integrated and I don’t see any reason for people in Strpce or Gracanica or anywhere to fear their future in Kosovo. A final deal between Prishtina and Belgrade will help them because it will diminish threats from nationalists and extremists from their own Serbian community that hang over their head. I’m using this interview again to call all Serbs, all minorities in Kosovo to rest assured that their country is Kosovo and they have secured future in this country.

Will Serbian Orthodox Church receive same assurances?

Serbian Orthodox Church is a constitutional category in Kosovo and receives constitutional protection. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes most politicized of organized religious communities in Kosovo as some bishops, especially some extremist ones from outside Kosovo, send very unfortunate messages. I never respond to these statements, as I don’t want to put the position of Serbian clergy in Kosovo in a political landscape. I try to protect them from their own.

I’m very proud of the diversity of heritage in Kosovo and I have promoted interfaith dialogue as a key component of reconciliation. Prizren, Decan, Orahovac are beautiful and touristic places also because of rich diversity, Albanian, Serbian, Turkish, Bosniak. The major communities in Kosovo, like Muslims, Orthodox, Catholic, Jewish, Sufi – they were here during Ottoman Empire, during Serbian occupation, during Yugoslavian dictatorship and they will be here in the future.

Analysts in Kosovo say that it’s not just the Serbian community you have problems to sell the final deal. Most Kosovo Albanian opposition parties don’t support your dialogue with Vucic?

–           Kosovo is true democracy. I don’t have the tools of controlling opinion in Kosovo and I hope no President will ever have those tools, to control media, intelligence service, army, parliament like some people in the region do.

Constitution of Kosovo requires from president to represent Kosovo externally and internally so I’m mandated by the will of people to find a solution with Serbia. I will also return back to will of people to confirm final peace deal and mutual recognition by organizing a referendum.

There are many voices in Prishtina on how to deal with Serbia but I reject calls for postponing agreement or blackmailing international community. These ideas are dangerous.  I also have personal experience that Kosovo parties have always come together in time of need, either in Rambouillet, or in Vienna or elsewhere, so I’m convinced we will again come together in the end to close the painful chapter so we can raise our flag in front of UN building in New York.

Do you think Russia will support the border adjustment?

–           I had a brief talk with Russian Prime Minister Medvedev recently and I follow carefully Russian statements. I think Russia was clear that they will support the agreement that is agreed by both sides. They keep saying they will not be “more Serbs than Serbs.” Russia was always part of Contact Group and has helped draft both Rambouillet Accords and Ahtisaari Plan. Kosovo has no problem with Russia and is thankful that Russian Federation was creative to enable our sportsmen and sportswomen visit Russia for international sporting events. Our Majlinda Kelmendi won gold in judo and our flag was raised in from of Russian President Putin few years ago, and I think this symbolism of cooperation in sports, economy, culture is very important. Isolating Kosovo in the future will mean isolating Serbia and the entire region. I’m sure this is not the agenda of Moscow.

You are not worried of Russian meddling and influence in the media?

–           I don’t worry about Russian meddling in Kosovo as our country is 92% supportive of EU and US, but maintain good relationships with all. Kosovo is very small republic with modest needs and ambitions to pretend it has a big role between big powers.

What is happening with the Association of Serbian Municipalities and the agreements so far? Why are they not being implemented?

–           This is another issue that remains open and is a reason to come to a final solution as soon as possible. We had an agreement on energy networks, and Serbia has refused to do its part for many years now. This is causing real problems and is creating real financial losses to Kosovo.

We had an agreement on Association, and there were many delays, and people don’t know this, but many delays were exactly in Belgrade. Frequently when we wanted to push for a movement forward, for statute to be drafted for things to move, there was hesitation with some circles in Belgrade who wanted this Association to remain as a stumbling block.

I don’t want to say everything here in newspapers, but Brussels and Washington are well aware of the reason behind the delays and our willingness to overcome them. Rest assured, as long as Brussels Agreement is respected, and this agreement is based explicitly on the Kosovo Constitution, the association will be created to advance municipal rights and responsibilities.

President Vucic recently threatened he will withdraw from politics if the Serbian people will not endorse his agreement with you. Will you do the same?

–           To tell you the truth, I’m already withdrawn from daily and party politics and issues of governance. I’m elected as President with biggest majority possible and I have now a responsibility in front of Constitution and people of Kosovo to carry out my mandate. I have seen some polls by UN agencies that Kosovars believe Presidency should lead the talks with Serbia so I remain convinced I still have my third lifelong mission to fulfill – Kosovo in NATO and EU.

We are ever closer to this aim, but we still need to be patient and vigilant and work together to ensure our place in European family of nations. I believe same is true for Serbia and Vucic as well.

The Serbian president said that he would insist on the issue of the Serbian property in Kosovo in the next phase of the Dialogue. What do you think about this initiative?

–           Issue of property is important for all the people. For example, there is a vast documentation of Kosovo pensions which were stolen by Serbia in 1999, and there are more than one million pages of evidence from ICTY that prove how Serbian state, police, army, destroyed willingly and deliberately destroyed property of hundreds of thousands of Kosovars. I believe when we open this chapter, Belgrade will be the first one to wish we close it as soon as possible. But we can’t close our eyes to people’s legitimate claims for justice and their own property. This is according to the values we want to embrace in EU.

Is there any news when it comes to the formation of the Kosovo’s army?

–           Kosovo Security Force exists, it’s trained by NATO, it has a hierarchy and it has a structure. The process of transformation of KSF to an appropriate, modern, dynamic and multiethnic defensive force is unstoppable process. It has already started and it can’t be stopped. Hopefully changing the Constitution but there are several formulas one can come to the same aim. No one has veto over that development and I look forward when our men and women in uniform will be contributors to NATO missions elsewhere. This has been confirmed to us by all our strategic allies.