Brussels, 25/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - The agreement process on the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is not yet over, a European diplomat said on 24 April. “This process is not over. It has just entered a new phase now, which is implementation”. We are here to facilitate the process”, the diplomat stated, adding that implementation is “the key”.
The diplomat stated that, “in the coming days”, there will be “technical level” meetings in Brussels to prepare for implementation of the agreement. He said that “there will be other meetings, at all levels”, thus not excluding a new high-level meeting between High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and the two prime ministers, Ivica Dacic from Serbia and Hashim Thaçi from Kosovo. Belgrade and Pristina must still find agreement, for example, on energy and telecommunications issues, before 15 June.
The diplomat warned, however, that implementation will not be all easy. “Now things will be put into practice. I don't think it's going to be easy, but if both sides remain committed and engaged it can be done”, this European source said, stating that it is a “win-win” process. The diplomat added that “a lot of determination” had been evident from the two parties to reach an agreement and he expected “the same on implementation”. He stated that, “in the implementation of this new agreement, we don't start from zero. We start from two years of Serbia and Kosovo already doing things together.” Over recent months, Belgrade and Pristina have, for example, set up integrated border management with six crossing points.
The diplomat said that it was the European perspective that pushed Serbia and Kosovo to hold discussions. “The key thing in this was the European perspective for both. They both want to move forward, and both decided that to move forward they had to change something”, he said, recalling that this process has required “brave people, brave politicians with courage, determination and a capacity to deal with real issues.” “This process required very difficult decisions from both”, he added. “This is very much their process. This is very much their agreement. It was their process, their negotiations. We put the problem on the table and it was up to them to solve it”, the source continued, reiterating that the EU was just the facilitator. (CG/transl.fl)