Prishtina June 29th 2018 – President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, informed today the Government Cabinet on the final stage of the dialogue on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
President Thaçi said that the dialogue process is strongly supported by the United States of |America, who has its representative in Brussels during each stage of the talks, in order to coordinate the process with the parties involved and to provide their support to the process.
“It was the same this time round as well, I held two rounds of working meetings with the US representatives prior to the official meetings. These regular coordinative meetings with our main strategic partner, USA, and with the other powerful European nations, which play a supportive role in this process, are extremely important”, said the President.
President Thaci warned us that the operations of the Kosovo delegation in the dialogue process will be transparent, with regular reporting provided to the citizens and to the institutions.
“For this reason, even prior to my departure to the first meeting I have made clear my readiness to report to the Parliament of Kosovo as often as such a thing is required”, said he.
The head of state said that the parliament of Kosovo must be involved in this process in a direct manner, while the governing coalition, in cooperation with parliamentary political parties, both governing and opposition ones, agrees the modalities of this inclusion as soon as possible.
“I say this because the time is ticking, and this process cannot be stopped for many reasons”, said President Thaçi.
The widest possible political and social consensus, at this stage of the dialogue, would not only increase the confidence in the process, but would also strengthen the delegation of Kosovo.
“I hope that the leaders of political parties will understand their responsibilities towards the institutions of the country, and above all, towards citizens of the country”, said the President.
However, President Thaçi pointed out that Kosovo has its own legitimate and democratic state institutions, so no one may pretend to question their constitutional and legal legitimacy.
The head of state added that prior to his departure for the first meeting in Brussels, he appealed publicly to political subjects to join Kosovo’s delegation, and that he is repeating the same thing today as well.
“Come and become a part of Kosovo’s delegation, and provide your knowledge and patriotism, at the discussion table. This would be the right act, most rational and courageous act, awaited by the citizens of Kosovo. Everything else, all baseless and pointless criticisms only show signs of fatigue and lack of responsibility and courage” said President Thaçi in front of the Government Cabinet.
Speaking in relation to the meeting held in Brussels, president Thaçi said that he has made it clear that Kosovo is devoted and deeply interested to the achievement of the final obligatory and legal agreement with Serbia.
“We have made it clear that Kosovo has consumed its compromises, which are spelled out in the all-encompassing plan of President Ahtisaari, respectively in the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo. Hence, we have said that compromising opportunities from our side are extremely minimal” said the President.
President Thaçi also said that both parties involved in the dialogue process have agreed to continue the endeavors for the achievement and to continue to working not to allow the increase of tensions of provocations between two states in order to preserve peace and stability.
“Furthermore, both parties are fully aware that the European future of two states depends on the quality of the final agreement. In Kosovo’s case, final agreement and its eventual recognition by Serbia, has a much wider dimension, because we believe that such a situation creates real opportunities for Kosovo to become a UN member and to be recognized by the five EU states which have not yet done so” said the President.
Kosovo must accept the dialogue as the only tool for normalization of relations with Serbia, according to President Thaçi, because in case we refuse this dialogue, then EU and our partners will blame Kosovo for its failure.
“Furthermore, eventual failure of the achievement of the agreement means brittle peace, tense inter-state relations, which have its negative effects in the region and beyond. I think that all these reasons and many others which I am not mentioning here, obligate all of us to work with determination towards finding the way and the bravery to achieve the final agreement” added the President.
At the end, President Thaçi said that Kosovo remains constructive and dedicated to the achievement of a final agreement at the end of this process.