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Kosovo in Dialogue with Serbia Over Normalization of Relations

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Kosovo in Dialogue with Serbia Over Normalization of Relations Bi-monthly newsletter of Ministry of Foreign JAN/APR 2013 Affairs of Republic of Kosovo. Double Issue. No.8-9 Year III. Sweden is a firm Kosovo receives Kosovo joins advocate of Kosovo praise for its’ EBRD and RCC integration Digital Diplomacy Kosovo becomes full-fledged Five Questions for Swedish Strategy member in two important Ambassador Ingrid Johansson international bodies Kosovo’s NewDiplomatFollow our sites on Twitter: @MFAKosovo @InterfaithKosovo @germiahillconf FIVE YEARS OF Kosovo in INDEPENDENCE dialogue with Long NEWS Road to EU Serbia over Kosovo is 5 years old this 17thof February. It’s as good time as any to recapitulate where are we in normalization of terms of state-building, institu- tions-building and trust-building between communities. Our path to relations statehood was not the easiest one. In the former Yugoslavia, EU is facilitating dialogue that intends to close the Kosovo was the remaining open chapters in the relations between two odd one out, a sovereign countries and former foes. World media are province of a following closely the dialogue facilitated by Baroness special history, with majority Ashton of EU, while deal is expected to open path for population HASHIM THAÇI European integrations for both capitals not consisting Photo by Arben Llapashtica, one of the winners of InstaKosova Competition of south Slavs. PRIME That representatives of Serbia and Such a step would be a landmark Serbia, which has long considered commander in the Kosovo Lib- After the fall of MINISTER Kosovo were sitting at the same ta- for the country and could help reju- Kosovo its medieval heartland, has eration Army, which fought the Ottoman Em- OF KOSOVO ble for talks was an achievement venate its struggling economy and refused to recognize the govern- Serbs during the bloody Balkan pire, we had in itself. But whether the two sides cement its links to the West. ment, arguing that its declaration wars of the 1990s. His Serb coun- the misfortune could reach an agreement to over- A central issue in the talks is of independence breached interna- terpart, Prime Minister Ivica of replacing one foreign rule, with come ethnic enmities in the former how much autonomy the Kosovo tional law while threatening to spur Dacic, was the wartime spokes- another – even harsher one. Atro- Serbian province — and clear the government is willing to grant to separatism elsewhere in the world. man for Mr. Milosevic, who was cities and domination were unfor- way for their eventual member- its Serbian minority. Belgrade has Even now, recognizing indepen- overthrown in a revolution in tunately used extensively by Serbia ship in the European Union — re- retained de facto control over a dence for Kosovo remains a step 2000 and died in jail in 2006 while and later Yugoslavia to suppress mained uncertain Tuesday. small Serb-majority area in north- too far, Serb representatives say. being tried for crimes against hu- Kosovars for a century. There was The talks were being medi- ern Kosovo, where until now the Meanwhile, Petrit Selimi, the manity. a period after 1974 and the extensive ated in Brussels by the Europe- Serbs have eked out a life in isolat- deputy minister of foreign affairs Mr. Selimi said the agree- decentralization of former Yugosla- an Union, which both Serbia and ed enclaves that do not recognize for Kosovo, said in an interview ment would benefit both Serbia via, when Kosovo started building Kosovo are eager to join. But the the Kosovo government. that his government was vehe- and Kosovo by clearing the way its won identity, when University Union is extremely wary of import- Under a potential agreement, mently opposed to any executive for their eventual E.U. member- was finally allowed to taught in ing a frozen conflict into the bloc, municipal structures in Serb-ma- body in the north that would con- ship, bringing regional stability Albanian, when fledgling middle and Brussels has made clear that jority northern Kosovo would at- stitute a state within a state. and encouraging foreign invest- class started to establish itself, but the former enemies must normal- tain greater autonomy in return for But the talks themselves were ment. But critics on both sides al- this progress proved to by a mi- ize relations. Belgrade’s improved cooperation an achievement, analysts said. so warned that an agreement also rage, quickly disappearing as soon If the talks are successful, they with the Kosovo government. The lead negotiator on the Koso- ran the risk of reinforcing rather as nationalist forces got foothold in would mark a seminal moment Both sides have red lines they vo side, Prime Minister Hashim than overcome ethnic hostility. neighbouring Serbia. for Serbia and Kosovo, which de- say they are unwilling to cross. Thaci, was a former guerrilla By Dan Bilefski, The New York Times Thus started our long road to clared independence from Serbia freedom. Firstly via peaceful resis- on Feb. 17, 2008, almost a decade af- tance which didn’t take us very far, ter NATO bombs helped push the International conference on public diplomacy and regional cooperation but did save Kosovo’s population at Serb former strongman Slobodan time when genocide was unfolding Milosevic out of Kosovo and end a Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry has director of FCO, Kosovo’s EU dern communications and public in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Later we brutal civil war against majority organized a conference «Public Minister Vlora Citaku, Tim Judah diplomacy projects can support started our rebellion, which I am ethnic Albanians. Diplomacy and reconciliation». of The Economist magazine, the ongoing efforts of increasing proud to have led. Young women In mid-April the Union’s foreign Many important guest speakers Arjeta Emra, Director of British cross-border cooperation in and men from Kosovo and around policy chief, Catherine Ashton, is such as Ambassador Adam Council, Besa Luzha Director of Balkans and improving Kosovo’s diaspora gathered to resist puni- scheduled to produce a report that Ereli, Principle Deputy Assistant Fridrich Ebbert Stiftung, Andrej outreach to the neighborhood by shing police campaigns. will determine whether to open Secretary of State Department, Nosov of Heartefact Foundation, means of culture, digital diploma- membership talks with Serbia. Adam Bye, the Digital Diplomacy etc will discuss the way how mo- cy, academic exchanges, etc. CONTINUES ON PAGE 5 2 jan/apr 2013 Kosovo’s New Diplomat Diplomatic Bits & Pieces 5 QUICK QUESTIONS SHORTNEWS Sweden is a firm FROM THE EMBASSIES President of Kosovo attends advocate of Kosovo’s global energy summit In January 2013, President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga took part in the proceedings of the World integration to Future Energy Summit, which was held in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, under the President Jahjaga patronage of HE Sheikh Mohammad bin Sayed. met President of President Jahjaga was accompanied to the sum- the European Union France, Mr. Fran- mit, by the Environment and Spatial Planning çois Hollande, Minister Dardan Gashi. Kosovo’s clean energy Queen Rania of investment opportunities were presented in this What is the best thing about work- Jordan, Prime event, that gathered too global leaders such as Minister of Mon- ing and living in Kosovo? President Hollande of France, President Fernan- tenegro, Mr. Milo 1 First and foremost, it is the inter- Ðukanovic, etc. dez de Kirchner of Argentina, President Grimsson action with all Kosovars. Wherever I go, Swedish of Iceland, Queen Rania of Jordan, etc. I am greeted in the warmest, friendli- Ambassador est manner. It is easy to live and work Ingrid in a place where one can easily contact Johansson Important Kosovo visits to people, both professionally and pri- Athens and Bratislava vately. I also enjoy the wonderful Kosovo outdoors! I take every opportunity to One of Kosovo’s priorities for diplomatic service explore historic sites and trek in the is advocating for the full recognition of Kosovo’s mountains. During my stay, I have noted based on conditionality and merit. In the independence by the 5 members of EU that have how people start to take an active interest coming years, we will make more efforts still not done so. In the first quarter of 2013, rela- in the environment and Kosovo’s rich to intensify our relations within busi- tionship with the 5 EU capitals thawed to the point cultural heritage and I can see the emer- ness, trade and investment. They are now of direct interaction. I beginning of the march, gence of a promising eco-tourism sector. much too modest. I believe there are a Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have collabo- few sectors, such as the environment, en- rated with British Council to ensure a high-level How big is the Swedish presence ergy, mining and forestry, where Swedish visit by 12 Kosovo MP’s to Slovakia within the in Kosovo?? industry could play a role in Kosovo in joint KSTALKSEU program, while few weeks 2 It varies but lies constantly in the the future. later Minister Enver Hoxhaj also visited Greece range of 150-200 officials on the ground for the first time ever for a Kosovo minister, where in different capacities. For Sweden, that agreement was reached for Kosovo to open a trade makes Kosovo one of the top countries in What is your favorite part of office in Athens. terms of presence and resources. There Kosovo? are also a number of individuals with 4 What first comes to mind is a dual Swedish-Kosovar citizenship resid- stone to rest on, high up in the mountains Prime Minister Thaci and FM Hoxhaj attend ing in Kosovo, which the Embassy serves on a sunny day with a cup of coffee in one inauguration of Pope Francis in different ways.
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