Kosovo should work to replace the EU, the main mediator of dialogue with Serbia, with the US, has stated Ramush Haradinaj, former prime minister and leader of governing coalition ally Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK).
In an interview for REL/RFE on Thursday, Haradinaj stated that Kosovo is headed to the White House meeting with Serbia on September 2 with the aim to reach an agreement for mutual recognition.
He praised the insistence of the U.S. administration for a meeting at the White House: “I have been pushing for Washington to return to the issue of dialogue,” he said.
On the other hand, Haradinaj questioned the effectiveness of the European Union in mediating a deal between Kosovo and Serbia. He noted that the help Kosovo has been provided with in years from the EU, and Germany and France in particular regarding the dialogue has been much needed. However, hopes for a successful resumption of the dialogue have faded after it was left to the EU to mediate, without Merkel and Macron’s direct involvement.
Haradinaj argued that a deal mediated by the US is the only hope for Kosovo to get Serbia’s recognition.
“Looking at this situation, we have come to understand that the only hope we have now is in Washington. We have always had confidence in Washington, but we have hoped that the EU will also invest more in this process, by directly involving major capitals like Berlin, with some of its senior officials, or even France and others. As that did not happen, I have asked Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti to take steps back on this dialogue agenda delegated to Borrell and Lajcak and to turn to Washington,” he said.
Asked on the main objective of Kosovo’s attendance of White House meeting on September 2, Haradinaj replied:
“We are going for an agreement for mutual recognition at the existing border. If the circumstances bring to this agreement, we are going for it. But if there is [just some] progress [offered], we will get that, whatever it is.”
