Prishtina, 2 April 2013
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi gave a statement to Kosovo Radio and Television (RTK) after the end of the eighth meeting in the dialogue mediated by Baroness Catherin Ashton, with the Serb delegation, led by Prime Minister Ivica Dacic.
The following is the full interview given by Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi:
Question: Prime Minister, how would you assess the dialogue process in Brussels, which has finished after the eighth round without any agreement?
Answer: We came to this meeting with the best intentions, to reach an agreement. As the official delegation of Kosovo, we presented our official position and viewpoint, in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo. What is more important is that Kosovo’s position and viewpoint is entirely in accordance with the position of the EU and USA.
As at other times, Serbia’s position this time remained hesitant, and was perhaps even one of rejection. We are looking to move things forward, to open up Kosovo’s European perspective and we will work together with the international community to implement our agenda to normalize the situation in the north of Kosovo.
Question: Prime Minister, this was a marathon meeting. What were the essential differences between the two delegations involved in the dialogue?
Answer: It has been clear to you and to Kosovar and international public opinion for a long time that Serbia has misinformed, it has misled and it has lied about a potential partition of Mitrovica, about the formation of a Republika Srpska and autonomy in the northern part of Kosovo. Such ideas are unacceptable for us today and before. Attempts to assign an executive character to the association of Serb majority municipalities are outdated and such an association under no circumstances will have an executive, legislative mandate or that of a third layer of government.
Let me reemphasize that we have made progress with regard to our concepts, ideas and vision for good neighborliness and the normalization of relations between our countries.
So it was a long day, and not easy, with some hard discussion. The official Kosovo delegation made progress and it remains for Serbia in the coming days to reflect deeply about accepting the agreement.
Question: Prime Minister, is it essential for Kosovo to reach an agreement on the north, with Serbia, while the latter insists on the bosniazation of Kosovo?
Answer: There will be no Republika Srpska, autonomy or bosniazation of Kosovo. Kosovo will function as an independent and sovereign country, in accordance with the Constitution and its laws. Kosovo’s institutions, together with international institutions, will extend authority to the north. We will have the total dismantling of all parallel structures, the functioning of law and order in the north, and at the same time, we will work to establish an association of Serb majority municipalities, always according to the Constitution and laws of Kosovo, without any executive or legislative mandate, or any third layer of government. But, building good neighborliness is in the interest of our two countries and peoples, because we are now interested in integrating Serbs who live in the north, into Kosovar institutions and society, whereas Serbia is not interested in the people of the north, but just in changing Kosovo’s territory, which is not something that Serbia will be able to achieve.
Question: Prime Minister, I’m sorry as it is already very late, but one final question, do you think that there is a real chance for a sustainable peace between the two countries, of Kosovo and of Serbia?
Answer: I was in the meetings and negotiations at Rambouillet and at Vienna. The characters in Serbian politics have changed, but unfortunately, the same mentality of rejection and inflexibility remains toward Kosovo and western policies. Being aware of their old policies and their old mentalities, despite the new personalities, I hope that they will take time to reflect in the coming days. Whatever happens, the meeting occurred, the negotiations took place, but there is no agreement. Now it is up to the autonomous authority of Belgrade. Belgrade’s old mentality led to the refusal of the Rambouillet agreement, the refusal of the Vienna agreement and it will not be much of a surprise if once again we receive a response based on Serbia’s old policies toward Kosovo and the western world. This is the logic of non-cooperation, of isolation and of confrontation.
Last modified: July 31, 2022