Prishtina, May 20, 2013
Prime Minister Thaçi received today the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guido Westerwelle
After the meeting, Prime Minister Thaçi and Mr. Westerwelle spoke for the media.
The statement of Prime Minister Thaçi:
Honourable minister Westerwelle,
Welcome to Kosovo!
Thank you very much for your visit in Kosovo and in the region in Serbia. We thank you and we highly appreciate your personal involvement in the whole process of normalization of relations between the state of Serbia and Kosovo, the engagements of Chancellor Merkel, the German state and also and all European Union to support the efforts of Baroness Ashton, in reaching the historic agreement on April 19 between our two countries, Kosovo and Serbia.
Honourable minister,
The agreement has a special importance for our countries, Kosovo, Serbia, our peoples, for peace, stability, regional cooperation and Euro-Atlantic perspective for Kosovo and Serbia.
In this peace agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, Kosovo has won, and also Serbia and the region, as well as the European Union. Therefore, all are winners, but first and foremost, the biggest winners are the people in the north that will join our common commitment to a new life in the new Kosovo, the European Kosovo, in Kosovo and Atlantic region.
We have reached an agreement after a long and not an easy process, but we have done it with your trust and continued support.
As Prime Minister of the country, on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, we are also grateful for your contribution within the frames of KFOR, EULEX, but also in terms of close bilateral cooperation.
As a European country, Kosovo will establish specific relations with Germany as a reliable partner, of course within the current commitments that we have.
Dear participants,
I informed Minister Westerwelle on the steps being undertaken by the Government of Kosovo, its institutions and the process of implementation of the agreement reached in April between Kosovo and Serbia.
That which is very important for Kosovo’s political scene is the fact that Kosovar politics has established a broad consensus of approval of this agreement, which is the support and the willingness of the citizens of the country.
Therefore, after meeting with minister Westerwelle, today I will travel to Brussels, where tomorrow I will meet with Prime Minister of Serbia, to discuss the implementation periods of the agreement, implementing actors, which will be the institutions of Kosovo, KFOR the EULEX, and the course facilitator role of Serbia as well, according to the responsibilities arising from the agreement.
I am optimistic and hopeful that tomorrow we will achieve the agreement for the implementation and we will see concrete steps in changing the situation on the ground, of course, step by step, gradually, with the will of Kosovo’s institutions and citizens in the north, in order that we may live a new life together.
We will certainly encounter challenges and difficulties, but these difficulties and challenges are not just of the north, but are challenges in all of Kosovo, but I am optimistic that together we will overcome these together. Also, just as we have had the full support of the European Union, the unified support of five countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence, will have also have the unified support of the EU in the process of implementing the agreement.
I know it will not be easy and will not be achieved quickly, but implementation will occur gradually, peacefully and voluntarily.
We also discussed with Minister Westerwelle the new opportunities that Kosovo has provided for German investors and I wish that German investments will continue in Kosovo in future as well.
Kosovo is a new country, is a country of great opportunities.
The statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Guido Westerwelle following the meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic, Hashim Thaçi.
Thank you very much Mr. Prime Minister.
I remember the first time I was here three years ago and when I look back, I can say that these years have not been easy, but truly important decisions and concrete results lie ahead of us.
I commend you for your vision, your commitment, and I want to thank you, because we are convinced that a peaceful development of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is not only in the interest of your citizens of both countries, but also across of the entire European area.
Since the independence of Kosovo, we have always stood behind you and we are convinced that this whole process will achieve concrete peaceful results.
Agreement of April 19 is an agreement of special importance, and maybe one day it will be called an agreement of historical significance, and will remain as such.
This is an agreement that has enjoyed a broad support not only in the Assembly of Kosovo, but also in public opinion, thus, it seems to me that this is a very important signal. It is a turning point in the history of the region and of the entire history of South-East Europe.
I also congratulate you and commend all parties for their calmness and courage, and I wish that all the parties would show a sufficient degree of flexibility, patience and wisdom.
I hope that tomorrow’s talks will be conducted in this spirit.
After the agreement has been reached, now we should move on to its implementation steps, in order to show, right before important meetings of the EU, of how the agreement was implemented in concrete steps. This implementation should be visible to all participants.
It will be a difficult task. This means that the parallel structures in the north of Kosovo should be removed, which obviously is a key criterion of agreement dated on April 19. However, on the other hand, it also means that Kosovo should offer facilitation for citizens in the north of Kosovo in order to facilitate their integration.
We as the Federal Republic of Germany will engage for the international recognition of Kosovo. We support Kosovo in its goals to compete in international forums.
Germany is the most important partner of Kosovo in the European Union in terms of trade and economy and certainly, we associate this with financial support.
Negotiations serve a single objective, namely improving the lives of the citizens of Kosovo and the whole region, so that they may be provided with better chance for the future. This is the essence of our engagement.
Wishing you all the best in your further talks!
Last modified: July 31, 2022