Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti has stated that his country’s goal in the dialogue with Serbia is mutual recognition and normalization of relations.
“We are entering this process with a single goal, which is mutual recognition and full normalization of relations between the two countries,” Hoti told journalists in a press conference on Sunday after the video conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, facilitated by EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell and EU envoy Miroslav Lajcak.
Hoti added that normalization of relations should come after recognition.
“We are ready to sit at any table of dialogue to defend Kosovo’s statehood and to demand full normalization of relations, which comes only after mutual recognition between the two countries,” he stated.
He reiterated that dialogue is the only way to resolve outstanding issues with Serbia.
Hoti said that issues to be discussed in the July 16 meeting in Brussels will include: mutual recognition as part of a final agreement, the disappeared persons, war damages, return to Kosovo of cadastral documents, economic relations and infrastructure projects.
The next meeting agenda has not been made public. It’s not clear whether the topics announced by Hoti are what Kosovo would like to push forward or what both sides agreed in today’s virtual meeting.
The EU, France and Germany have not mentioned “mutual recognition” directly but they are pushing for a “comprehensive, final and legally binding agreement”, which for Serbia does not include recognition of Kosovo. Serbian leaders have repeatedly denied that they will ever recognize Kosovo. President Vucic has stated that Serbia needs to be compensated more than with EU accession in order not to oppose Kosovo get a UN seat.
