Tadic Remains Positive As Serbia Looks To The Good Friday Agreement For Kosovo Solution
Belgrade and Priština could learn from the Good Friday Agreement, Serbia’s President Boris Tadić has said. His words came after a “constructive discussion” with British Prime Minister David Cameron, where the issue of Kosovo was discussed. “We can find a solution,’ Tadić said. “This is really possible.”
During a meeting in London, the President said: “I have looked at a variety of arrangements. People talk about the two Germanys model, the example of Sweden and Finland over the Öland Islands, and I am particularly interested in the Good Friday Agreement and the subsequent declarations between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. You have a great deal of experience because of this issue. You have also had to work through patient diplomacy and the politics of striking a difficult compromise.
“The Good Friday Agreement is very interesting, not only in how you solved that problem with Ireland but also in terms of how some countries who are intending to become member states of the European Union can join without making huge and very dangerous concessions. This is also very important. We have to use all possible models. Because of the common interests we have to solve a problem that is affecting all of us.”
The President has been looking for pointers on coming to a mutually acceptable agreement on Kosovo. “For me, there are three principles which I draw from these arrangements and which I will try to translate for our particular problem,’ he said. “The first is that a genuinely sustainable final settlement can only be achieved when two parties can discuss openly, directly and with willingness to find common ground. That is why Serbia, and quite a number of other countries, cannot accept a unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo.
“The second is that the populations of our region are destined to join the European Union. In doing so, one can and should be creative, knowing that the European Union boundaries have become less important than the quality of life of individual citizens and the communities in which they live. The issue is about rights and prerogatives, which leads me to the third point: these arrangements always have to do with the fears and the faith of the minority. In this case, I am talking about the fears and the faith of Serbs in Kosovo. In my view, these principles create the basis of productive discussion.
“I want a functional and functioning arrangement between Belgrade and Priština, and between our respective populations. And I want this as soon as possible. To achieve this, I want to be assured with the guarantees of a functional and functioning Serbian community in Kosovo. They have to express that they feel secure with the police from their communities, that they can have a viable economic existence, that they have access to a reliable judiciary in their language, and that they have access to education of the standards that they would expect if they lived in Serbia proper. They have to see that the symbols of their identity, the church, are protected, and to be assured that their property claims will be addressed fairly and equitably.
Responding to a suspicion that Serbia is seeking partition within Kosovo, the President was clear: “On our strategic objective of Serbia in Kosovo, I can be crystal clear: Partition is attractive but not a realistic solution. Partition can create instability in Serbia. You have to be aware of the political conditions and situation in my country. In terms of the constitution, partition is creating an even bigger problem in my country. It is very complicated. It is a high risk political operation. In my country, people are not going to accept that Kosovo is not part of Serbia. Ordinary people cannot be convinced about that. That is the political reality. At the same time, as politicians we have to be convincing that we can solve the problem and the challenge we are facing. I am sure that partition is not going to function as a model. Otherwise, we’ll be faced with all together other problems in the region.”
President Tadić admitted that he does not approve of the blockade in northern Kosovo and often disagrees with the local municipalities in that region. “Local municipalities and the people that are leading those institutions [in the north] are elected in democratic elections,’ he said.
“As a democratic president I have to say that I am not always sharing views with them – they are more or less against my policy – but I have to respect them as democratically elected people. Even though I am not sharing their views about that blockation[blockade] that is existing on the north, I have to say they are not criminals. They are politicians.”
The northern municipalities will be a thorn in the side to any possible solution, but the clock is ticking for Serbia to resume talks, with renewed dialogue and the immediate removal of roadblocks installed by the Serbs expected to be required before any agreement can be made on Serbia’s EU candidacy in time for the next session on 9 December.
However, if the European Union decides to impose a condition that Serbia must recognise the independence of Kosovo before it can step up to the bloc, “the European Union is going to fail,’ said Tadić. “I can say without hesitation that finding solutions would be much easier if Serbia were already negotiating membership with the European Union,’ he added.
“We will have to come to an arrangement over the question of the municipalities of the north Kosovo where the inhabitants have particularly strong feelings about where they belong. Here we have to look carefully and in detail at other examples where the rights and prerogatives of such a community can be secured through special forms of representation. I believe that if we could move forward along these lines, we could find mutually acceptable accommodation. There are many details that will have to be addressed but if the will is there – and it is on my side – solutions can be found.
“We want integration of the whole region into the European Union and we certainly want Kosovo to participate in our regional forum. We believe that today’s Serbia, run by the democratic forces that succeeded Milošević, are willing and have demonstrated that they are ready to find solutions to the most difficult problems that were inherited from that era.”
Tadić was keen to impress that he has been instrumental in bringing both parties to the negotiating table. “Almost one year ago I improved our participation in dialogue, facilitated by the European Union, between Belgrade and Priština,’ he said. “The talks have produced arrangements and there have also been interruptions. I want to see momentum restored to this dialogue. Of course, there will be opponents. It happens in all nations with a sense of their own history and sovereignty. The issue, however, is larger than the dialogue. We must not lose sight of the wood for the trees.”
“I was clear in talks with my counterparts: we can find a solution. That solution has to be creative, that solution has to be flexible, that solution has to function and to be sustainable and workable. We have to take into consideration both legitimate interests. There are two realities on Kosovo: the Serbian and Albanian realities. We have to take into consideration both realities. It is possible to find a solution in which everyone is getting something, everyone is reaching something, and everyone is protecting legitimate interests. This is really possible.”
While Britain and Serbia are co-operating on many matters, including the fight against terrorism and organised crime, there is a broad divide over Kosovo. “Unfortunately, we [the UK and Serbia] are not sharing views about Kosovo,’ President Tadić told diplomats and business leaders at the International Institute For Strategic Studies, in London. “But this is a point of view from where we are starting to talk about the issue. The UK is recognising Kosovo’s independence and I am not expecting the UK to change that policy. We are not going to recognise Kosovo’s independence. In our view, the unilateral declaration of independence [of Kosovo] is an attempt at partition of Serbia, which is a sovereign independent state of the United Nations. That is de facto. If it is going to be a case that there will be partition within partition, we will establish the principles and model that can be implemented in other countries that are facing similar challenges. There are many Kosovos, not only in South East Europe but everywhere.”
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